Stacy’s closest neighbor besides the two strangers was Brad, a 37-year-old divorcee who could find darkness on the brightest day. Stacy could only handle so much negativity, so she was hoping that these two new guys were at least cheery. Brad had already called her yesterday, within minutes of the strangers driving down the easement, to let her know that she should avoid the new neighbors until he’d had a chance to “vet” them. She had rolled her eyes when he’d said that. Brad really was trying to be nice, but he only knew how to be Brad.
Stacy headed back down the trail towards her house, skipping in the sunshine and enjoying the beautiful weather and the clean scent of the recently rain-washed forest just beyond her property line. Some might tease her for being too peppy, but Stacy didn’t care. She had a fresh basket of fruit and a homemade pie from her shop in the neighboring city of Pikesville to bring to her new neighbors. The rest of the wide-spread neighbors could be as aloof as they wanted, she had some new friends to make.
She pulled her car next to theirs, her engine knocking loudly as she killed it, and dragged the heavy basket across the seats. The curtain beside the door fluttered as she walked up the paved sidewalk to the door. Before she could knock, a tall, well-muscled man opened the door, a huge grin spread across his face.
“All you need is a red hood and cape and this could be the sexiest fairytale ever written.”
Stacy laughed as another man elbowed his friend in the ribs.
“Mason, mind your manners. We want people here to like us, not to hide their daughters every time we step outside our door.” This man winked at Stacy, her heart fluttering with a million butterfly wings at the sight of him. They walked onto the porch and offered her a seat on the plush swing as they leaned against the porch rails.
“To what do we owe the pleasure?” said Mason, grinning at her, completely ignoring the obvious house-warming present she’d brought them. The other man sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically. His comical expression drew a laugh from Stacy, who was finding the pair much more amusing than she’d ever imagined.
She handed the second man the basket of food. He thanked her and set it aside, looking her over in a way that said he was used to attracting the ladies, but still a consummate gentleman. Stacy stuck her hand out, introducing herself and explaining where her home was.
“I’m Gabe, and I guess you know where I live,” said Gabe. He winked, his tone teasing her. Stacy blushed. He knew the basket was an excuse to be nosy, but she’d lay money that he didn’t mind. He shook her hand.
His grip was firm but gentle, his large hand swallowing hers whole as he held her gaze. His eyes were a deep, dark, chocolate brown, nearly as black as his pupils. Stacy lost herself in those eyes, forgetting that she was sitting with her hand outstretched, even as he let her go. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. These two were trouble, but not the kind of trouble Brad had wanted her to believe. Ha! Maybe they are the kind of trouble Brad is worried about.
Stacy made small-talk with them for a while, noting how they avoided any mention of their lives prior to arriving in Stephenville. Stacy took in their manicured hands and gentle tone and imagined that they were secretly rich, just trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The sun started dipping down towards the horizon when Stacy stood to leave. They promised to return her basket, though she insisted they keep it. Mason made a flirty remark about having an excuse to see her again, making Stacy blush again as she climbed into her car and drove away. What is wrong with me, she wondered. I’m like a horny teenager.
Maybe Brad was onto something. Luckily, Stacy didn’t have to drive by his home to get back to hers. Brad had always been a good neighbor, but he was too forceful. What he thought came off as concern felt more controlling than anything, and she wasn’t in the mood for his brand of caring tonight.
*****
Stacy awakened to a knock on her door, not in the least bit surprised to see Brad, arms crossed and a perturbed look on his face standing on her porch. She left the chain secured, not interested in visitors this early in the morning.
“Yes, Brad?”
“I see those two men brought back your basket this morning. Am I to assume that you went to their house yesterday, unescorted?” Was he for real? It’s 2015 for cripes sake, not 1915.
Stacy didn’t answer him, just closed the door softly and padded back to bed. It was 8:00am on a Sunday. Her café was closed today, and only today. She wasn’t going to let sour-puss Brad ruin today for her. She crawled back into bed, moaning when the still-warm sheets wrapped around her bare skin. Brad knocked a few times in quick little bursts, then finally gave up and left. She’d hear about it tomorrow. But for now, she faded into a blissful sleep.
She awoke completely refreshed, several hours later. She rolled over and looked at the clock, surprised to see that it was nearly noon. Usually, Brad attempted to drag her to church, even though she insisted that she found her faith in the beauty and grandeur of the forest surrounding them. Brad had ridiculed her, claiming that she was living a heathen’s existence. Maybe he finally gave up on that, especially after this morning.
Stacy rolled over and saw the list of missed calls flashing on her cell phone. 51 missed calls in all. She was wrong that Brad had given up on dragging her to town to save her soul. It turned out that she was just a really heavy sleeper. Oh well, Brad will get over it. I have a life to live!
After breakfast, she pulled on her hiking pants and laced up her boots. The sleek, black fabric clung to her every curve, but still allowed her to move freely. Developed specifically for hiking in the rough climate of the Pacific Northwest, the pants were her favorite hiking accessory. She could jog through brambles without them tearing, yet she didn’t overheat in them.
She put on a ball cap and headed out the door, a camel pack filled with water strapped to her back. She knew these woods like her own reflection and she would only be out for a few hours. The water would be enough after her full meal this morning. No need to weigh herself down with more. Aside from her cellphone, it was the only thing she brought with her.
Walking down the path towards the forest, Stacy wondered about her new neighbors. Who were they really? Why had they chosen Stephenville of all places to settle down? They had told her they weren’t brothers, so what was their deal? I wonder how much sleep Brad is losing over our new neighbors.
She smiled. Brad meant well, at least she thought he did, but he was just so over-bearing. He was from another planet, where women still needed men to hold their hands and tell them what to do. He wasn’t her type, though he couldn’t seem to understand that.
Stacy remained deep in thought as she stepped off the paved path and onto a forest trail. She had mapped out the trails when she first moved in five years ago. Her favorite trail—the one she would be taking today—was a three-hour round trip. She walked down the slope and took a sip out of the spigot on her water pack. This trail was intense, but the rewards were great. She inhaled the cool, damp air and started out on her hike, eager to put as much distance between herself and Brad as possible.
She hadn’t been walking long, mid-way up her favorite mini mountain peak, when she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand straight up. Startled, she looked around, peering into the dense woods beyond the small clearing surrounding the peak to see what had set her senses on high alert. She saw nothing, so she kept climbing. There were bears in this area of the country, but they typically avoided humans. She climbed to the top, grabbing a large rock and carrying it with her as she started descending the other side. Bears had thick skulls, and no amount of force could damage them if she threw a rock of this size. But she was in the woods, alone, without bear spray. At least this might send the bear, or whatever it was, in the opposite direction.
Mason watched Stacy from behind the heavy foliage. She was smart, though he would have preferred her to have some sort of weapon with her, and not just a large rock. But, all of the animals had fled the area as so
on as they’d caught the scent of the tiger-shifter in their woods. For now, she was safer than she’d ever been.
He turned and ran silently down a trail that wrapped around the area she was hiking, laying down his scent in a large perimeter before he returned to his exercise. He chose a trail as far from her as possible to complete his daily run, running harder and being less cautious as he got further away. Maybe one day, they would tell Stacy their secrets. But today was not that day.
*****
Sweaty and tired, but completely refreshed, Stacy decided to take the pathway that led to the back of Gabe and Mason’s house. She hadn’t seen them all day, and she doubted that anyone else had made the slightest attempt to welcome them. Her detour would add another mile to her hike, but she didn’t care. Gabe and Mason intrigued her as no other men ever had. Strange as they were, they were also genuinely nice, and she wanted to get to know them better.
That same tingly feeling passed over her again, and her hair stood up once more. She turned to look behind her, convinced she was being stalked by a bear. Leaves rustled as the animal, whatever it was, moved back to hide. Stacy could see a glimpse of brown eyes a brief second before the creature disappeared. At least, I thought I saw brown eyes. Maybe I imagined it. She certainly didn’t imagine the movement in the trees. Holding the rock tightly in her hand, she quickened her pace and headed for their house, suddenly desperate to get out of the trees and into the open. Maybe it wouldn’t stop a bear from charging, but anything was better than being a sitting duck.
I don’t think it was a bear though, Stacy thought. I swear I saw a flash of orange around the eyes before the animal hid. Could it be a tiger? There were no tigers in Oregon, unless a circus or a zoo had lost one. It was possible, and Stacy did not know if that had happened. She didn’t have a television at home, getting her fill of this horrible world during the week as the café television played in the background. Her older patrons tended to watch the news constantly, as if watching it was something they enjoyed. Most of the time, she could tune it out. More often than she liked, the harsh reality shown on the news got through her narrow defenses, breaking her tender heart with the sadness of the world.
The intense sunlight from the head of the trail broke through her thoughts. She was maybe ten yards from the open trail that lead to Gabe and Mason’s home. She had to force herself not to run, reminding herself that acting like prey made you more likely to become prey. She heard nothing behind her. Any rustling made by the animal was drowned out efficiently by the frantic beating of her heart. She wanted to run. She surely smelt like fear.
Unable to contain herself any longer, Stacy ran for the head of the trail, picking up speed as she got closer. She burst through the trees and slammed into Gabe. He wrapped his arms around her to steady her and she realized that he was naked.
“What the hell?”
Gabe looked down as if he’d also just noticed his state of undress. He smiled shyly, his face apologetic.
“I heard something crashing through the woods and what sounded like someone gasping for air. I thought someone was in trouble, so I ran towards the commotion.”
“But why are you naked?” Stacy wasn’t mad, far from it. But she was beyond embarrassed that she’d caught such an unfettered look at his chiseled body and how her own body reacted. Her nostrils had flared and her pupils had contracted. If he’d been paying attention to those two things, she was toast.
Gabe struggled to find the words that would convince her he wasn’t a freak. “You caught me sunbathing.” There, that should do it, he thought. But did she see me running in the woods?
Gabe had taken a different direction than Mason, their intention to explore the woods around their home and map out potential escape routes, just in case. When Gabe heard Stacy crashing through the trees, he shifted into human form as quickly as he could, biting his tongue to keep from screaming in agony at the sudden shift. He was about to run towards the house, hoping to get dressed before she knocked on the door, but he knew he’d never make it in time. So he decided to run towards her and claim that he’d heard her running towards his home.
Stacy was pushing some dirt with her toe, her face crimson as he stood there, unashamed. Gabe caught sight of Mason in the woods, still in tiger form. He nodded his head to the left, indicating that Mason should go around and shift before she saw him. Still enthralled with the toe of her boot, Stacy missed the gesture.
“So you were running?” Gabe asked.
Stacy was startled out of her musings. Yes she had been running, she’d almost forgotten.
“There was something in the woods, maybe a bear, but I think it was stalking me. Well, not a bear for sure. I swear I saw a glimpse of a tiger? Maybe it was an oddly colored mountain lion? Have you seen anything about a zoo missing a tiger?”
Gabe didn’t know about a zoo, but he knew a certain shifter needed a swift kick in the ass for almost revealing their secret. Gabe couldn’t blame Mason for following Stacy, though. If Gabe had known that Stacy was in the woods, he would have followed her too.
“No, I haven’t heard a thing, but we don’t have our satellite hooked up yet.” He gestured towards the house. “Would you like to lead the way so I don’t offend?”
Stacy was about to ask what he meant by that when she blushed. He was still nude. He was so comfortable in his own skin, she had almost forgotten that his manhood was there for her to ogle unabashedly. It was quite impressive. His body wasn’t the only thing that was large and— she shook her head, trying to keep her thoughts from going where they had no business heading. For all she knew, neither of the men was interested in her.
Laughter bubbled up from her throat, escaping before she could stop it. Wouldn’t that just beat all if they were more interested in Brad than me? Brad’s head would explode.
Gabe looked at her, his expression so confused. He doubted she was laughing at him, but her face was priceless, as if she’d just thought of the most amusing thing ever and couldn’t contain her laughter.
“There is nothing offensive about that body of yours, Gabe.” Stacy walked by him and slapped him on the behind and then walked down the trail in front of him towards his house. Oh dear me, why the hell did I do that? She hadn’t even realized her hand was reaching out until it struck flesh. Warm, smooth, delicious flesh. Get a grip, Stacy. What would Brad think? What would Brad think indeed? She threw her head back and laughed, her joy echoing off the trees.
Gabe admired her pluck as she strode ahead of him. He doubted that her behavior was an invitation to bed her, but he had to admit she had taken an uncomfortable situation and turned it around. He was starting to like this free-spirited woman.
*****
Stacy sat on the couch and sipped sweet tea as Gabe and Mason took turns telling embarrassing stories about the other’s childhood. She’d never had sweet tea before, though Gabe had assured her it was commonplace where they came from. When she asked where that was, he said simply, “Why the South, of course.” Stacy had the feeling he was being deliberately vague, but she didn’t push him for more information. They were friendly and pretty forthcoming, but there was something they wanted to keep to themselves. Stacy didn’t much like secrets—she was an open book herself—but it wasn’t her place to tell them what to share of themselves.
She’d lost track of time amidst their talking and laughter when there was a knock on the door. Both men were instantly alert, eyes trained on the door. Mason got up to stand beside Stacy, his hand going protectively to her shoulder as Gabe answered the door.
“Where is she!?” Brad roared as he attempted to push his way inside. Gabe easily held the door, his muscles hardly straining as Brad pushed with all his might. “What have you two done to her?” Spit flew from his mouth as he shouted accusations.
Stacy leaned into his line of vision and waved, confusion lining her face. What is wrong with that man? Has he lost his mind? Brad calmed, but only slightly. He was irate, and Stacy was starting to get scared. Ma
ybe it wasn’t a harmless crush after all.
Brad continued to try to shove passed Gabe, who held the door without effort. After several failed attempts to get past Gabe and rescue Stacy, Brad bent double, huffing and puffing like a smoker trying to run uphill. His anger drew the breath from his lungs. The entire scene seem almost comical, rather than scary. Stacy covered her mouth before she laughed this time, trying not to make the situation worse than it already was. Brad was obviously operating with a few loose screws.
Between gasping breaths, Brad shouted into the house to Stacy, “I’m going to head into town for the night and cool down. We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”
Stacy rolled her eyes and mouthed, “No we won’t.” Mason looked at her, searching her face for any clue as to what was going on. She shrugged. His guess was really as good as hers when it came to Brad. She’d underestimated him that was for sure. She’d always been very direct, but she was starting to think her words had fallen on deaf ears. She was going to have to deal with this situation, and quick. What if he started coming to the café acting like this? No, this had to stop and it had to stop now.
Her courage bolstered by the enormous man between herself and Brad, she raised her voice so he could hear her clearly.
“I don’t know what you’re going on about Brad, but I want to be completely clear. We’re not together. You’re not my husband, you’re not my dad. You’re the man who lives down the street that tries to drag me to church once a week. You’re nice Brad, well you were nice, now you’re just crazy. But we’re not anything besides neighbors. Please stop.”
Without an answer, Brad stormed off the porch, a window beside the door bursting inward as his foot falls landed on the steps. In his anger, he’d thrown the baseball bat he had carried at the door. It bounced off the frame and hit the window, shattering it with the force of his anger. Wow.
Stacy didn’t know what to think. She knew she hadn’t led him on, but he was so mad. What had she ever done to deserve that kind of negative attention? She sank into the couch, dissolving into tears. What was she supposed to do? Go home and hope that he wouldn’t show up on her doorstep in the same, angry mood? For the first time in her life, Stacy wished she didn’t live alone.
Alpha Vampire Romance: Vampire’s Mate (Paranormal Shapeshifter Alpha Demon Vampire Romance) (Coming of Age Werewolf BBW Shifter Women’s Fiction Short Stories) Page 29
