The Awakening: Liam (Entangled Covet)

by Niles, Abby

  She’d dodged the question which, in and of itself, gave Ava her answer, but she needed to know. “How bad?”

  The other woman glanced away. “We thought you’d been drained. I’ve never seen that much blood.”

  Ava stared straight ahead, stared at nothing. “Was I—”

  Oh, God, she must have been. Blood had been all over Liam when she’d first seen him. Had he picked up her body and held it?

  “We don’t know for certain. But for him to be unaware that someone was in the room, he had to be very distracted. So we are assuming that your body was, indeed, there.”

  Oh, Liam. What had he felt staring down at her bloodied body, believing she’d been murdered ruthlessly? To live with that for hours before realizing she wasn’t dead, that some sicko had just wanted him to think she was.

  “Miss Michaels, how did your attacker make it seem like you died?”

  “He injected me with something. Doctor Bradley said it was some sort of combination of an anti-arrhythmic and anesthesia.”

  The only reaction the detective gave was a furrowing of her brows as she reopened the notebook and jotted down Ava’s comment. “Did you get a good look at him?” the other woman asked.

  “No. He wore a werewolf mask.”

  “Did you get a look at any distinctive features? Eye color? A tattoo?”

  “He wore special contacts and was dressed head to toe in a black jumpsuit. I’m not even sure of the color of his skin. He did have an accent, Cajun, I think.” She paused. “Where did he take us?”

  “It was an abandoned mental hospital.”

  How ironic. It was supposed to be a place to help the mentally unstable, not help bring on madness. Would she and Liam ever recover mentally from what they’d experienced?

  Detective Calhoun stepped forward. “As soon as we deal with the cops, we’ll move you and Liam to a safe location. You two are going to need time to recover.”

  “What about my sister?”

  “What about her?”

  “She’ll come with us to the safe house, won’t she?”

  “No. I’m sorry, she is an unmarked human. She does not fall under the protection of SPAC.”

  At a loss for words, the only way she could think to respond was, “You would leave a fifteen year old child unprotected?”

  Color crept into the woman’s cheeks. “This isn’t a matter of leaving someone unprotected, Miss Michaels. When a case involves shifters, my ultimate goal is to protect the existence of our kind. Placing your human sister in a safe house poses too much of a risk to the shifter community. With her around twenty-four-seven, the potential she will see or overhear something she shouldn’t is far too great. I’m sorry, but these are the laws of our people. I cannot break them.”

  “I’ll go home then”

  “That’s not safe.”

  “I really don’t care about that right now. I care about my sister. I’m not leaving her vulnerable just because your kind refuses to protect her. If I go back to my house, her routine wouldn’t be disturbed. She’d go to school and spend time at Jessica’s. It would be less likely that she would notice something.”

  “And she can continue doing those things while you are in a safe house.”

  “I’m not going anywhere without my sister.”

  And she sure as hell wasn’t going to run off with Liam and leave Emma behind to face the consequences alone.

  Should she tell the detective about the threats to Emma?

  Not a fat chance in hell was that going to happen. Not after being told her sister was considered a risk. What if Ava told the detective everything and this guy turned out to be a shifter? What if their idea of handling it meant taking out the human in the equation?

  The idea terrified her.

  She didn’t know this world she’d been thrust into, but she did understand a few things: they lied, kept secrets, and used innocent people to torture each other. And most importantly they would leave a child unprotected.

  Better the devil you know…

  At least she knew how to keep Emma safe from the other devil. Had successfully kept her safe the last eight months. All Ava had to do was stay away from Liam. After everything they’d been through the last two days, it killed her to push him away again, hurt him again, but Emma’s safety came first.

  Detective Calhoun gave a long sigh. “All right fine, you can go home, but we’re going to keep a detail on you until we catch this guy.”

  This presented a perfect opportunity to give her sister some extra protection without confiding in this woman about the threat. “I also want a detail on my sister 24/7.”

  “Miss—”

  Knowing the rejection was coming, Ava held out her hand. “No. This lunatic took me and I will not have his attention refocused on my sister because he can’t get to me. Do you understand? A detail. 24/7. There has to be a way for you people to protect her without her knowledge.”

  The other woman gazed at her for a moment, then nodded. “All right. I can compromise on that. But the moment I sense that she is seeing more than she should, she’ll have to be dealt with.”

  Jesus. “D-dealt with how?”

  “If she becomes too curious, she’ll have to be removed from the premises. You might want to think of an alternate living arrangements if that were to happen.”

  “Emma will not be forced from my home.”

  “Then I suggest you make certain she remains ignorant.”

  Easy enough since Ava had been able to do that for the last eight months. Emma had no clue her life was in danger, and it would stay that way.

  A door slammed open somewhere in the distance. “Ava!”

  Liam’s voice washed over her, and her heart picked up speed, even knowing she was going to have to hurt him again. Why was it so hard? She’d been tortured because someone was seeking revenge against Liam. Her sister had also been hurt because Ava had not broken up with Liam quick enough after she’d been ordered to.

  Long list.

  Danger surrounded Liam. But her body…and her heart...refused to forget the man she’d loved so completely. And she hated hurting that man.

  He rushed into the room, his gaze travelling over her. Then his shoulders relaxed. “I wasn’t sure what I would find when I walked in.”

  Sending him a reassuring smile, she flinched when it felt like her bottom lip split open. She touched the wound with the tip of tongue and tasted blood. God, she had to look a fright.

  His hands fisted open and closed at his sides as he looked at the detective. “Out.”

  At the order, she didn’t even scowl, just nodded and left, closing the door behind her. Liam crossed the room and yanked the curtains closed. Without a word, he walked out, only to return a few moments later with a hairbrush in his hand. As he came to stand at the edge of the bed, he said, “Scoot up.”

  “W-what?”

  “Scoot up,” he repeated.

  Her chest fluttered. “Liam, I can brush my own hair.”

  “I really don’t care. Now scoot up.”

  She’d give him this. Knowing he needed to touch her, just as much as she needed him to. Selfish on her part, considering what she was about to do, but she’d sacrificed a lot, had escaped a man intent on killing her. She would take this one small thing from Liam to treasure.

  She shifted forward on the bed, giving him space. After he climbed up behind her, cradling her body between his powerful thighs, he ran his hands gently over her head, gathering her hair until it fell down her back. Tears burned the back of her eyes at the torrent of emotions that engulfed her.

  Comfort. Peace. Pain.

  When the first stroke of the hairbrush ran through the strands, she silently swiped a tear from her cheek, caught between this moment and memories so bittersweet they threatened to break her.

  He’d done this so many nights after her shower. Cocooned her between his legs and just brushed her hair. Each stroke was gentle, thoughtful, to the snarls knotting her hair.

 
And each was now agony to her soul.

  She missed this. Missed the intimacy. Missed how much this simple gesture had always pleased him as much as it had her.

  She closed her eyes. When he was finished, he worked out the last of the knots with his fingers until they moved freely through her hair. Then he set the brush on the nightstand and lifted her arm. The angry cut that ran from her wrist to the bend of her elbow stared back at her.

  A growl vibrated against her back, then Liam maneuvered out from behind her and slid off the bed. For a moment, he stood with his back to her, shoulders tense.

  “Don’t be afraid, Ava,” he whispered, and turned to face her. “I have to do this. I will not hurt you, I swear. My beast could never hurt you.”

  She stiffened. “W-what are you about to do?”

  “I can’t do anything about the bruises on your neck. But I can fix this.” He sat on the edge of the bed and gently ran his finger over her injured mouth. “And this.” He touched the gash on her eyebrow. “And these.” He lifted her arm again.

  “You can heal wounds?” Awe tinged her words.

  “I can’t, but my beast can.”

  “You mean the animal you can change into?” She leaned back a little, alarm slicing through her. The little he’d shared about his world had been hard enough to digest, but actually watching Liam become an animal? She wasn’t sure she was ready for that. “I-I thought you didn’t want to share that part of you with me.”

  “Ava, I can’t sit back and look at those wounds, knowing I can take them away. You just have to trust me. Can you trust me?”

  At his question, her panic morphed to sadness and her shoulders slumped. She used to trust him with everything in her, never doubted a single word that came out of his mouth. Now she wasn’t so sure.

  A muscle ticked in his cheek before he abruptly stood up. “You still don’t trust me. What’s it going to take to make you believe I don’t have enemies?”

  “Whether you are aware of them or not, the last two days are proof that you have enemies, Liam. Besides, you’re keeping secrets from me.”

  “I’m not, but you are.”

  A harsh exhale breathed out of her. Yes, she was, and she was no more willing to share hers than he was to share his. “You said that awful man who kidnapped us knew you were deserted. Not bonded. Deserted. Don’t think I’ve forgotten that, Liam. You are keeping secrets.”

  “I’ve tried explaining it to you,” he said. “It’s a shifter term for being dumped. I can’t help that you won’t accept that.”

  “Because there’s more to it!” Her voice rose in response to the nonchalance in his. “People don’t get kidnap—”

  Shrieking, she scrambled backward on the bed. Her ankle burned in protest, but she ignored it as she gazed into the caramel eyes of—

  A lion.

  The transformation had been flawless, done almost too quickly for her eyes to track. One moment he had been there, and the next—

  “That was a really shitty move, Liam! How would you like it if I turned into an animal when we were arguing?”

  The lion tilted its head to the side, but didn’t so much as inch toward her. Its tail swished as it sat down on its haunches on top of shredded clothes, watching her. Could he even understand what she said now?

  She swallowed again, taking in the thick golden mane that surrounded the elegant muzzle and light brown eyes. Power exuded from the feline body, just as it did from Liam’s human one.

  He’d said the beast would not hurt her, and she believed him. Liam would never knowingly put her in danger. The realization hit her hard and she exhaled harshly. Only days ago, he’d vehemently sworn that exact same thing, but the pain she’d endured because some madman was out to torture Liam had kept her from truly being able to believe him. As angry as she was about his secrets, she now felt certain he truly had no clue who was behind their kidnapping, or why.

  Her anger slowly faded to awe the longer she gazed at the lion. She held out her hand. Only then did the animal move toward her. As it closed the distance, her breath caught. The lion stopped at the edge of the bed and rested its chin on the mattress, caramel eyes watching her.

  “You’re beautiful,” she said. “Can I touch you?”

  It inched up the bed, closer to her, and again rested its head on the mattress before nudging her fingers with its nose.

  The lion could understand her.

  She ran her fingers over the muzzle and through its mane, amazed at how soft the fur was. The lion caught her arm gently in its mouth to stop her movement. But she wasn’t afraid. It was a message from Liam. He needed to do what he’d said he would.

  When she offered her injured arm, the lion dropped her other one. Its long, rough tongue licked up the inside of her forearm. Tingles heated her skin and, right before her eyes, the wound healed. No evidence of the slash was left anywhere on skin. “My God,” she whispered.

  The lion propped its front legs onto the bed and came face to face with her. Her breath quickened. Never in her life had she imagined she would be so up close and personal with such a large and powerful animal. It rubbed the side of its face against hers and a familiar, deep humming noise emerged from its body, filling her chest with emotion so strong she wanted to latch on to this beast and never let him—or Liam—go.

  He pulled back and flicked his tongue across her brow, then her lip. The same tingling spread across her skin. Cautiously, she touched the wound with the tip of her finger. Not even tender. Then the lion scooted back and nudged the comforter. She swallowed. “Um. We can leave that one alone.”

  The lion shook its head like a dog slinging off water, and nudged the comforter again.

  “No. Seriously. I’m good.”

  The animal made a noise that sounded very much like a huff of exasperation, and took the comforter between its teeth and pulled it down, revealing her legs. When she started to back away, he placed a massive paw on her lap with another shake of the head.

  “Okay. Fine!”

  With its nose, the lion knocked her knee. God, she didn’t know if she could do this. Even knowing this animal was Liam, it was too intimate, especially knowing what the marks felt like when he touched them.

  Squeezing her eyes closed, she parted her legs. The rough texture slid up her inner thigh. A gust of relief whooshed out of her lungs when nothing arousing happened. Just as she had the thought, the tongue swept again, and lust poured through her veins, circling her clit in a firestorm of need. Her eyes popped open. The beast was no longer at the edge of the bed between her legs, but had been replaced by a very naked, very aroused Liam. He had his head buried against the skin of her thigh, and she felt a light nip that made her almost come apart.

  Grabbing a handful of his hair, she yanked his head up and was greeted with a wicked smile.

  “That wasn’t nice.”

  He crawled up her body. “Maybe not, but I’m not against using any means to be able to feel your skin beneath my tongue.” As he studied her face and neck, the mischief left him. “I truly wish I could erase the bruises, Ava.”

  “They’ll heal,” she echoed what he’d said earlier.

  “Not fast enough.”

  They’d heal a whole lot faster than her heart.

  She glanced away, shutting him out, and shoved at his chest. It was time to put the distance back. It was for the best reason ever—to save her sister—but her heart broke again, just as it had the night she’d done it eight months ago.

  “Liam, I’m glad you’re safe, but I don’t know what you’re expecting from me. Nothing has changed.”

  For several seconds his body went rigid over hers before he shot off the bed. “What the fuck, Ava?”

  As she shoved the hospital gown back down over her legs, she pushed herself up, refusing to look at him, guilt heavy in her chest. Think of Emma. “I’m just being honest.”

  “So what was that back there? You returned my kisses. Were just as desperate to be in my arms as I was to have you
there.”

  God, she had been, still wanted to be, but she just couldn’t.

  “I was scared I was going to die. I think it’s was pretty instinctive to seek comfort from another person going through the same thing.”

  He flinched. “That’s what I am to you. Just an instinct?”

  “Isn’t that what I am to you?” she shot back.

  When his body started to shake, she knew she’d made a grave mistake by saying that. He spun away and ran his fist through the wall, then pointed a finger at her. “Never compare my instincts to yours. You have no fucking clue what mine do to me.”

  He stormed from the room, leaving her stunned. No, she didn’t know, and with the rage he’d just displayed, she wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.

  Chapter 6

  Liam stormed down the hospital corridor intent on getting outside and as far away from Ava and the pain she seemed determined to inflict on him for a second time. Inside him, his furious beast paced, tail whipping from side to side, low rumbles coming from its body.

  The added agitation made Liam want to hit something. Hard. But he already had. He flexed his throbbing knuckles. And it hadn’t helped a damn bit. When someone grabbed his arm, he spun, knocking the hand away. “Fuck off.”

  Brit held up his hands. “Dude, if you want to go outside in your birthday suit, don’t let me stop you.”

  Liam glanced down, cursed, before he opened the nearest door and slipped inside an empty examination room. Not that his nudity would shock anyone on this side of the building. They were all from the same gene pool… all except for Ava. But he didn’t want anyone to know he’d finally shifted and then had his mate reject him…again.

  Brit followed him into the room. “Liam, did you shift?” Awe tinged his friend’s words.

  Yeah, he’d fucking shifted and healed his mate, then got the big F.U. afterward.

  He ignored Brit’s question, knowing his friend knew the obvious answer. “You got any clothes in the Jeep?”

  “Since I haven’t shifted in four years, I got out of the habit of carrying any extras with me. Sorry.”

  He’d known it was a long shot even asking.

  “Miles probably does,” Brit continued. “Just stay in here and I’ll go see.”