Scarlet Woman

by Shelley Munro

  “Me too,” Felix muttered, grabbing his coat off the back of his chair.

  Joe and Sly exchanged a glance. “We’re going to Dunedin for the weekend. Forgot to tell you,” Sly said. “We have a date.”

  Like rats on a foundering ship, they scuttled for cover until only Saber remained in the room with her. The tension seemed to suck the oxygen from the room, and she had trouble breathing.

  Emily’s insides quivered but she forged ahead, committed to her course of action. “I said, I’ve rented a furnished house. I’m moving some of my gear tonight and will pick up the rest on the weekend.”

  “What about us?” Saber demanded.

  “We’re friends. I told you I don’t want a permanent relationship at the moment. It’s too soon.” Please understand, I need more time to think, to make sure I don’t make a mistake. Emily’s eyes were pleading. I want to be very sure.

  “Newsflash. We’ve been living together and sleeping in the same bed. If that isn’t a relationship, I don’t know what is.”

  “I want my independence.” Anger bubbled through her. Saber was big and in this mood appeared intimidating, but she wasn’t frightened of him. Funny, Michael had scared her to death at times, so much so that she’d given in to him rather than starting another fight. But this was too important. She refused to budge. “I want to do what I want, when I want. Make my own decisions. My own mistakes.”

  “Moving out is a mistake. What about us? What we have together is good.”

  Emily softened an instant. “I like you very much, but I want my independence. We’ll still see each other.” I want to look closely before I leap into a commitment. Emily took one last look at Saber and left the room. Living on her own really was the best thing.

  Chapter Nine

  Saber spent a miserable night roving through the empty house. It seemed his brothers had all found alternative accommodation for the night. His upper lip curled. Cowards. Every room in the house smelled of Emily—flowers and a hint of vanilla. It would take weeks, months for the smell to disperse and, meantime, he’d go quietly mad. Dammit, Emily was his fated mate. It wasn’t meant to end like this.

  In the darkness of his bedroom, he shucked his clothes, padded naked down the passage and let himself outside. The cool bite of the wind rippled across his skin before he summoned the feline and shifted. He bounded away from the house, trying to outrun his problems.

  The wind rattled the empty branches of the trees planted by his parents and grandparents. There was even an old oak tree planted by his great-grandfather soon after they’d settled in Middlemarch. In a more playful mood, he might have leapt into the high branches and watched the stars, but tonight he was too disturbed to do anything but run. His tail swished with agitation when he had to slow and hide while a vehicle passed.

  Once the glow of the headlights faded, he increased his speed, loping over the open tussock land and heading upward into the hills where there was less chance of meeting up with humans.

  Emily. What the hell was he going to do? A part of him had died when she’d walked out the door tonight. They belonged together. A shaft of pain pierced his heart at the thought.

  He loved her.

  Saber growled. The pained cry silenced the call of a nearby night bird. He loved her. This was more than a mate. This was love, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. There had to be a way to convince her he was trustworthy, that he trusted her. Somehow, he had to let her know that together they were stronger, but they could still retain their own identities. Being together didn’t spell the end.

  Saber slowed, trotting in a wide circle before heading back for the house. Perhaps he’d climb a tree and watch the stars while he concocted a plan to convince Emily Scarlet once and for all they were meant to be together.

  * * * * *

  Several days later, Saber marched up the steps that lead to the house Emily was renting. When no one answered his knock on the door, he strode around the side of the house to the back. A lone figure sat hunched up on a wooden bench.

  “Emily.”

  Her head jerked up and her forehead puckered. “You came.” Wonderment and a touch of confusion flitted across her face.

  “Yeah. You’re coming with me.”

  Her brown eyes widened a fraction behind her glasses lenses.

  “Come on, kitten. Maybe we don’t know each other well, but we’re good together. I need you. After the few weeks together, we have something to build on.”

  “I don’t want a man. They’re more trouble than they’re worth.”

  He held out his hand. “Please. Spend time with me.”

  “No, it’s not a good idea,” Emily said, but her voice lacked conviction. Saber took heart from her uncertainty.

  “I really do need you, Emily Scarlet.” He didn’t analyze further. He acted. Saber scooped her off her feet, placing her over his shoulder, and walked down the side of the house, past the gaping neighbor who was weeding her garden and out to his vehicle.

  “What are you doing? Put me down.” Emily kicked. She screeched loud enough that the shoppers inside the small grocery store down the road spilled outside to stare.

  Friends and neighbors gaped as he stuffed her in the passenger seat of the SUV and locked the door. Thankfully, they were so surprised they didn’t interfere. One of the elders appeared in the doorway of the store. Saber ignored his smirk and stomped around to the driver’s door. The feminine outrage nearly deafened him when he climbed behind the wheel.

  “I want to show you something.”

  “It will need to be pretty good to make up for kidnapping me.” Her glare was black enough to rival a thundercloud.

  Saber started up the vehicle and hoped he wasn’t making the biggest mistake of his life. He glanced across at her set face then continued driving toward the farm anyway. Emily couldn’t go through life without trusting a man again. And dammit, he wanted to be the one she trusted.

  The sealed road gave way to gravel when he turned off the main. A neighbor drove his tractor out of his driveway in front of him, and Saber slowed to a crawl until the farmer turned into the paddock he intended to plow for crops.

  “Where are we going?” Emily demanded.

  Saber continued up the gravel road, past the family homestead, across the broad plains and up into the hills that surrounded the valley. He pulled up beside a huge pile of rocks that looked as though a giant had flattened and stacked them in a neat pile. He yanked on the handbrake and switched off the ignition.

  “We’re here.” He opened the door and headed around the front of the SUV to open the door for Emily. When she didn’t move, he said, “Humor me.”

  Emily muttered and ignored his helping hand to clamber from the vehicle.

  Now the moment of truth had arrived, Saber’s stomach roiled with apprehension. If this plan backfired on him, his brothers would suffer. Still, their ancestors had relocated from Scotland. They could start over again if they had to.

  He took her by the hand and led her over to a handy rock. “Sit there and watch.”

  Saber unlaced his boots and kicked them aside before rapidly stripping down to bare skin.

  “What…what are you doing?”

  “Watch.” He took heart from the fact her gaze lingered on his body. Taking a deep breath, he summoned the feline part of him from inside. A fine mist swirled around him. His senses, already better than the average human, intensified. He smelled the green grass and the touch of coming winter in the air. The leaves of the poplar trees near the township no longer glowed with brilliant oranges and yellow but stood stark and bare. And he smelled Emily’s familiar scent. Flowers. Vanilla. A hint of musk.

  The scent of his woman.

  The thought pleased him even if she didn’t understand yet.

  Saber’s jaw reformed. His spine lengthened, and he dropped to his hands and knees. His skin prickled and a dense, black fur formed. The last thing he did before he changed was to look at Emily to gauge her reaction. A
family tale handed down through the generations told of a human woman who had frozen in terror and turned into rock, so great was her fear. His tail swished in agitation. She hadn’t run. Yet. Only one way to find out if she’d accept his…differences. He padded across the tussock and rocks that separated them to nudge her knee.

  Emily stared. Her throat worked but not a sound emerged. She couldn’t have run if she’d tried—her body seemed frozen to the rock where Saber had instructed she sit before he did his amazing change. Her breath eased out with a soft hiss. Well, that explained the mysterious black cats that stalked the Middlemarch town, appearing on whim. The cats the female reporter wanted to write about.

  The cat—Saber—stalked toward her, closing the distance between them. Her mind groped for understanding. Why had he shown her this? What did he hope to gain from letting her in on this huge secret? Her frenzied thoughts came to a sudden halt when he nudged her jeans-clad knee. His mouth opened to reveal sharp, white teeth.

  All the better to eat you with, my dear.

  Emily let out a strangled laugh. Gallows humor. He wasn’t going to eat her. Was he?

  The big cat rubbed against her thigh, letting out a rough purr. His breath was warm even through the jeans she wore. While Emily wondered frantically what to do, how to react, his pink tongue flickered out to lick across the back of her trembling hand. It tickled and a chuckle slipped out. In that moment, she knew he wouldn’t hurt her—she had nothing to fear.

  The thought had barely formed when Saber knocked her off the rock as easily as she’d swipe at a pesky fly. A startled squeak emerged and she attempted to scramble away. His soft growl made her still. Saber placed his solid bulk in front of her and whirled away with a snarl, his tail lashing her across the face. Emily held her breath, aware of the leashed power in him.

  All the better to eat you with, my dear.

  Realization arrived along with common sense. Saber could kill her, hurt her, do anything he wanted to her at any time, yet he’d asked her to come with him before he’d acted macho and overbearing.

  In front of her, Saber relaxed. He turned around to face her, his feline features seeming to smile. His tongue rasped across her cheek before he prowled away from her and let out an abrupt bark. Instantly, two more black cats galloped around the outcropping of rocks below where Saber had parked the SUV.

  A shimmer appeared around the cat. Emily blinked, and when she focused again, Saber, the man, stood in front of her. A naked man. She stood for a better look and closed the distance between them. The two cats headed straight for them, screeching to a stop at the last possible minute. Saber cursed and grabbed for her. But too late. One of the cats didn’t stop soon enough, knocking her off her feet. Emily landed on her butt.

  “Dammit, Felix! Watch out.” Saber rushed to her side and ran his hands over her ribs and arms and legs. “Where does it hurt? Nothing broken?”

  “My dignity.” Emily forced a laugh when what she really wanted to do was take a bite of his naked body. His chest. His butt. She wasn’t particularly fussy. He looked good all over. She’d missed him so much, more than she’d ever thought she would. “I’m fine.”

  Saber helped Emily to her feet and held her against his body in a protective manner. He glanced past her and cursed fluidly. “Felix. Leo. Dammit, where are your clothes?”

  Emily peeked around him. Leo and Felix stood in front of them as naked as Saber and just as impressive. She sighed her appreciation.

  “Don’t look,” Saber muttered, slapping his hands across her eyes so she couldn’t see.

  “Party pooper,” Emily muttered.

  Saber foiled Emily’s attempt to sneak a look and tugged her so she stood facing his chest. “What are you two doing here anyway? Were you following us?” he demanded.

  Leo snorted. “Don’t flatter yourself, big brother. We came out to shift the yearlings. We didn’t have time earlier because the reporter was driving down our road, searching for clues. Or so she said. She’s turning into a big pain in the butt. I never know where the damned woman will pop up next. We had to wait until school finished and she went to pick up her kid.”

  Emily wriggled, trying to escape Saber’s grasp. The brothers muttered about the reporter so often these days, she was tired of the conversation. Although to be fair, she understood why they tried to avoid her now. She’d do the same, given the circumstances. “You can let me go now.”

  “Yeah, let her look, Saber,” Felix said. “She might prefer one of us to a sour puss like you.”

  “Too bad. She’s landed with me, and I’m not letting her go.”

  Saber’s words rang loud and clear, bringing a rush of indignation before she started to think clearly. She wanted the same thing he did.

  “We’ll meet you back at the house,” Saber said. “Take care, huh?”

  The two men shifted to cats and raced off, soon out of sight. Saber placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. “Are you frightened?”

  “No.” Intrigued, yes, but not scared. “Is it just you and your brothers, or are there others?”

  “There are a few of us here in Middlemarch.”

  “Do you live for longer than humans? Do you change at will or does the moon have something to do with your changing?” Emily paused to take a breath. “Oh, stupid question—you’ve changed now so I guess the moon doesn’t have much to do with it. I’ve noticed people tend to have big families here in Middlemarch. Are they like you? Do your women have more than one—do they have litters?” she finished with a horrified squeak. “You don’t mind me asking questions, do you?”

  A gust of wind made Saber shiver. He reached for his jeans and pulled them on. “How about sitting in the SUV out of the wind?”

  Emily followed Saber, looking at him through new eyes, her mind working furiously. What did this all mean?

  Once they were inside the cab of the SUV, Saber started to answer her questions. “Our ancestors came from Scotland in search of a better life, a new life. We came with friends and servants, men and women who were loyal to us and kept our secret. The ship berthed at Dunedin. I’ve mentioned that to you before, and our ancestors settled in Middlemarch. As I said, there’s a few of us. Most are young, single males. That’s part of the reason for the Middlemarch ball. The elders were worried about some of the behavior of the males, taking chances and risking discovery. They hoped finding mates would help us settle.”

  “Mates? Is that something special?” Wariness hit her then. What exactly was a mate? Was that why she felt so horrid after being apart from Saber? Why she felt as if her heart had been ripped out without anesthesia? Emily squeezed against the door, her eyes wide with apprehension. Had he done something to her?

  “I’m not sure I can explain. You’re my fated mate. I feel it in my gut, knew it the first time I looked at you. It’s a sense of rightness and awareness.”

  Emily opened her mouth to hotly refute the claim. “There’s a second step to the process. Almost a bonding if you will. I bite you and draw blood, letting the special enzymes in my saliva flow into your body through your blood.”

  “These enzymes—they’re not transferable through having sex?” Emily heard the accusation in her voice. He had to have done something to her. She couldn’t have fallen in love with him. Could she?

  “I haven’t completed the second step. That’s the truth. I’ve wanted to, but I needed you to choose me freely without any coercion.” Pride and arrogance shaded his words, and Emily believed him.

  “Well, what if two…um…creatures like you want to mate?”

  Saber smiled briefly. “Cats. We’re feline shifters. If two cats wish to mate, they will bite each other and the exchange goes both ways. And your other questions—life expectancy is slightly longer than a human. It’s the enzyme, so if we were to mate, you would live for a similar length of time to me. Children can arrive in multiples. Two or three is common, but no more than that at once, and if we were to have children, they would have the abili
ty to change like I do, but you would retain your human characteristics and wouldn’t be able to change. Any other questions?” Emily scowled. They had litters. That sounded exhausting.

  “You’ve given me a great deal of power,” she said finally. “What if I run to the press? Or tell all to that female reporter that’s skulking around?”

  Saber’s hands cupped her face and stared deeply into her eyes. “I trust you.”

  An ache started in her chest and welled up her throat. Emily swallowed. She knew what he was trying to do. “I trusted Michael.”

  “I know, kitten.”

  “We hardly know each other. How do we know what we feel will last?” Her voice held every bit of the uncertainty she felt. “I knew Michael for five years before we married.” Emily sucked in a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye, firmly facing both him and her fears. “I’m sorry, Saber, but I’m scared.”

  “Ah, kitten.” Saber kissed her, their lips moving together in a slow, seductive dance. She leaned into his muscular body, her heart pounding erratically. Her nipples peaked against the cotton T-shirt and woolen jersey she wore. Too many clothes. She wanted to get closer, to take him inside her body. She wanted…Saber.

  Saber pulled away, his green eyes bright, the pupils barely visible in the winter gloom. “Nothing is certain in this life, kitten. I showed you my true identity because I didn’t want any lies or pretence between us. All I want is the chance to take our relationship further. We can go as slow as you want.”

  “What if we’re not compatible?”

  “We’re compatible. Have faith, kitten.” He traced her lips with his thumb. “I know we’re destined. I can handle a wait.”

  “But how long will you wait?”

  “As long as it takes. One month should do it,” he added in a casual tone.

  “One month?”

  “Yeah.” His grin was slow. Sexy. Confident. “I figure one more month to make sure you’re fully addicted to my lovemaking. And if you have any doubts after that, I’m going to drag you to the altar kicking and screaming. You belong to me, and I don’t intend to give any other man the opportunity.”