“My parents are great too,” she said in a hesitant tone, as if not wanting to draw attention to the fact that her parents were still alive. “They’ve always hated me being with Kurt, but they’ve never given me a hard time about it. They’re real soft and considerate, and trust me to live my own life.”
“And what do your friends think about him?” She laughed.
“My best friend, Tina, was about ready to kill him when we met up the other day, and I told her how he’s been acting. She blames herself since she was the one who pointed him out in the bar the night we met. But it’s not her fault. He seemed like a nice guy for a while. It was a long time before I saw his true colors.”
“Werewolves are known for their charm,” he said.
“Yeah? That sounds about right. And what are bears known for?”
“Probably being obvious,” he said with a laugh. “Which is why the two species don’t get on too well.”
“I think I’d put myself in the obvious category too. My mom has always said I’m a terrible liar.”
“I think that’s a very good quality, Paige,” he said.
“I always thought it made me seem naïve.”
“No, I think it means you have a pure heart.”
“Really?” she said, and turned her clear gray eyes on him. They were suddenly huge and the expression in them was open. He nodded.
“I’m not a fan of playing games and wondering what’s on another person’s agenda, that’s for sure,” she said.
“Me neither,” he said, warming towards her even more.
They stopped at a gas station for a sandwich and then they continued driving, talking about shifters and the differences between all the species. After a while, Paige’s words became slower and slower, and then she fell silent altogether. Caleb glanced at her. She had fallen asleep, her head lolling against the seatbelt and her long hair cascading over her shoulder like a golden waterfall. His heart gave a little jump. It was a sign that she was starting to relax with him. He’d been worried that she’d be on her guard with him and distrust his intentions, but she seemed to have sensed that he had only good intentions towards her. He longed to reach across and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear so that he could see her face better. Damn, she’s so beautiful. He wanted to look at her for hours, and listen to the sexy, silvery sound of her voice.
He’d known her for such a short time, but already he was unbelievably drawn to this beautiful, wounded, yet courageous woman. He tried to imagine how it would feel to hold her, to have her lips press against his own, her breath insinuating itself into his mouth. How would she sound when she cried out in ecstasy, her nails digging into his back? His bear stood to attention, eager for him to try to mate her, and he forced it back down again.
Was it possible that she could come to like him too? He realized that he didn’t want the journey to end, because he didn’t know what would happen when they got to Green Fields. Suddenly, he wanted to be caught in this beautiful limbo forever. It’s kind of ironic that I’m taking her to a town where I hope to find my mate, when I know that she’s my mate already, he thought with a wry grin.
Darkness had fallen an hour earlier, and his eyelids were becoming heavier and heavier. Green Fields was only three hours away, but he needed to stop. It would be dangerous to try to continue. He pulled into a layby and took his phone out to look for a hotel. The nearest was a bed & breakfast, ten miles away. His finger hovered over the ‘book these rooms now!’ button, but he figured that he’d better discuss it with Paige first. He turned the car light on and said her name softly, but she didn’t stir. She seemed to be in a deep sleep. He loved the way her eyelashes splayed onto her cheeks, looking so long and feathery. He reached out and laid his hand on her shoulder. The hot, tingling sensation that leapt between their two bodies almost made him snatch it back again. Her eyelashes fluttered open, and then she jumped, snapping fully awake. She’d forgotten where she was.
“Hey, hey, it’s ok. We’re still in my car,” he said. “I’ve just stopped because I’m getting real tired and I needed to find a hotel for the night.”
“Oh, ok,” she said, rubbing her face, the tension in her features easing.
“I’ve found a place ten minutes away, in another small town. It has two rooms left. Is it ok if I book it?”
“Sure, of course. I’m sorry the drive has been tiring.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s because it’s winter, and I usually partially hibernate. I’m normally only awake for a couple of hours a day at this time of year.”
“I like the sound of that,” she said with a yawn. “But, you must have been awake for nine hours already today?”
“Something like that. But I think having you to talk to has kept me awake. It was only when you fell asleep that I started getting tired.”
“Sorry about that too. I didn’t even know I was falling asleep.”
“And I didn’t know that the story I was telling you was so boring,” he said. She gasped in horror.
“I fell asleep while you were talking to me?” He gave her a sideways look.
“No, just kidding,” he said and they both laughed.
A few minutes later, they’d reached their destination.
“Looks a lot cuter than the last place,” she remarked as they pulled into the parking lot. It was a colonial-style house in powder-blue wood with white trimming, with shutters and a wrap-around porch.
They were checked into adjacent rooms on the second story. Caleb saw Paige smile as she opened the door to her room. They were very pretty rooms. A little cutesy for his taste, and he would’ve preferred it if there were a few animal skins lying around, but he imagined it was the kind of place that a woman would love, and he was glad that his choice had made her happy.
“I’m in need of some food. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner?” he said. She grinned.
“I’d love to. Can you give me five minutes to freshen up?”
“Please take as long as you need. I’ll go sit downstairs when I’m ready, so I’ll meet you there.”
Caleb splashed his face with cold water and then he paced around the room, his bear bristling at having her so close. He could even pick up a hint of her scent. It wasn’t going to be easy sleeping tonight; he was sure of that.
He went downstairs and the owner of the hotel immediately started chatting to him. He was more cautious than before and replied with a string of lies to her friendly questioning, making out that they were heading north instead of south.
8
Paige checked the time. She did feel like she needed to freshen up after falling asleep in the car, but more than that, she needed a moment alone to compose her thoughts. Her mind was a mess. It had been a rollercoaster of a day, and her heart was brimming with so many different emotions. She still couldn’t believe that she’d run away from Kurt. She’d been feeling so miserable and low this morning, as the reality sunk in that after a few days around her loving family and friends she was going back to her unhappy life with Kurt. And because things weren’t bad enough already, he exploded during breakfast and then hit her again because she ‘disrespected’ him by leaving the table. Then she was sitting there in the restaurant, fantasizing about running away from him, and this complete stranger left a note on her table, offering
her a way out. She was surprised to discover that she didn’t have to think about it much. She went back to her room, and while Kurt was in the bathroom, she ran away.
“But what am I going to do now?” she asked her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She wasn’t immediately worried about her parents because they’d left on a ski-trip that morning and would be away for two weeks. Kurt didn’t know that they were going, which gave her a little comfort. But she needed to make a plan, and fast. She thought again about Tina’s offer to speak to her brother. What could he really do against the alpha wolf of a biker gang though? All day she’d wondered if it was possible that Kurt had followed her here. But she’d turned
her phone off before she’d even got into Caleb’s car, and Kurt had no way of knowing which way she might have gone.
For now, she was just thankful that she’d finally got up the courage to take action. The conversation with Tina had given her back some of the confidence that she’d been lacking lately. And she was so grateful to Caleb, who just appeared like her savior, out of nowhere. She’d seen him the night before in the restaurant. He was wearing a lumberjack shirt and blue jeans, and he looked so handsome. He had these incredible, ice-blue eyes that seemed to look right into her soul, and thick, slightly floppy black hair, and she could tell, even through his shirt, that his body was gorgeous. And then, when she passed him as she was leaving, she felt a sudden, overwhelming attraction to him. She’d never felt that with anyone else before. He was such a big, strong guy, but so gentle and caring towards her, and so good at making her feel at ease in the car. There had been an intensity in the way he’d looked at her as they chatted in the car. But why? Surely, he can’t be attracted to me? She felt so tired and worn out by her relationship with Kurt. She couldn’t even remember the last time she felt like a desirable woman. Caleb was probably looking at her with concern, or maybe amazement that she could allow herself to be treated so crappily by her loser of a boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend, she reminded herself, and at the thought, her spirits lifted a little. Spontaneously, she dug a lipstick out of a small compartment in her purse and slicked it on. It was a flattering shade of cherry. She loved it but hadn’t worn it since she started dating Kurt. Immediately, she looked far more alive. She brushed her hair quickly and went downstairs to meet Caleb.
“I’ve found this awesome place in town!” he exclaimed as soon as he saw her, and leapt to his feet, full of vitality. He stopped moving and stared at her, lips parted.
“What is it?” she said, instinctively patting at her hair.
“Nothing – you look nice, that’s all.”
“Oh.” A bloom of heat flooded her cheeks. “What’s this place then?” she said quickly to cover her embarrassment.
“A steakhouse,” Caleb said with glee. “It’s rated five stars on Yellit.” She broke into a grin, delighted at his unaffected enthusiasm. “It’s eight minutes away. Would you mind walking? I’m a little cramped after sitting for so long today.”
“I’d love to,” she replied.
Stillwater was more of a town than Gainsville. There was a bustling main street, lit up with festive decorations. Colored lights were hung from one side of the road to the other, and all the lampposts were wrapped in lights and baubles.
“I’d forgotten it was still Christmas,” Paige commented as they strode along the sidewalk, many curious eyes turning in their direction.
“Me too. It’s not usually a big deal in Stonybear Peak, since most of us are extremely sleepy during the festivities.” She laughed.
“I love the idea of you all hanging out and being sleepy. Do some of you, like, fall asleep during the Christmas dinner?”
“It has been known to happen. And some of the older guys refuse to shift into their human form, claiming that it takes too much effort. Everyone else is just real yawny and grumpy. I guess it is kind of comical.” He flashed her a brilliant smile, his even white teeth gleaming in the darkness. He really was the most attractive guy she’d ever laid eyes on.
“I’ve just noticed something,” she said.
“What?”
“I’m not freezing cold. In fact, I could probably open my jacket.”
“Wow, you’re right. It’s practically balmy.”
“So nice for my face not to be stinging with cold, or my hair whipping in my eyes.”
“I know what you mean,” he said, comically indicating his cropped hair.
They’d reached the restaurant. It was a charming, rustic place, emitting an incredible smell of barbecued meat. Inside, it looked full.
“Maybe I should’ve made a reservation,” Caleb said, forehead furrowed, but a server came over quickly and escorted them to a table in a secluded corner of the room. There was a candle on the table and it looked inviting and romantic. Wait – did I just think of it as romantic? Paige shuffled into her seat, taut with embarrassment.
Caleb flipped the menu open eagerly.
“I know what I’m having,” he said, less than a minute later.
“What?”
“T-bone steak.”
“Do you have that every time you eat out?” she said with a laugh. He raised an eyebrow questioningly. “Oh, I just noticed you eating it the day before as well.” His expression changed and something passed across his features which she couldn’t identify.
“Pretty much,” he said with a shrug. “It’s usually the biggest steak on the menu, and it takes a lot to keep a bear from getting hungry, believe me.” The look in his eyes was intense, and seemed to suggest that he was talking about more than food, and a sharp little tingle hit her, right between her thighs. Was he looking at her like he wanted to eat her up? She discovered that she liked that thought. “What are you having?”
“Uh, I haven’t had time to look at the menu,” she said.
“Sorry. I get a little carried away sometimes.” Paige tried to scan the menu quickly, not wanting to keep him from his food any longer than she needed to. She looked at the prices nervously. She lived on the monthly allowance that Kurt gave her. It was pretty generous, but when this month’s bank account was empty, that would be it. On the other hand, she wanted to celebrate being away from him at last.
“I’ll have the filet and fries,” she said.
“Beer or wine?”
“Beer,” she said immediately. Wine made her far too fuzzy and dreamy, and she didn’t trust herself to get in that state around him.
The server came and Caleb also ordered a side of pulled pork, extra fries and soft-shell crab. The beers came fast.
“Here’s to a great future for both of us,” he said, and they clinked the ice-cold glasses together.
“Cheers,” she said, and pushed away the thoughts that were threatening to crowd into her mind. Tomorrow she’d think about the future. Tonight, she just wanted to enjoy the unfamiliar sensation of being calm, and being in this incredibly handsome, amazingly kind man’s company.
The beer was cold in her mouth, but it instantly spread warmth throughout her body, making her feel light and playful.
“I feel like you know way more about me than I know about you,” she said.
“I don’t feel like I know so much about you. But, go ahead: what do you want to know about me?”
“Like, what do you do for a living, for example?”
“There’s no official name for my job. I guess you could say I’m a community manager. I oversee our territory, making sure that everyone has what they need to keep their homes looking nice. I figure out the supply and demand of our natural resources. For example, every winter, I visit every family in the clan and help them work out how much wood they’ll need for fuel, so we don’t end up chopping down more trees than necessary. I also contract out work that needs to be done, and I mediate in any disputes.”
“Wow. It sounds like you have a really pivotal role.” He shrugged.
“It is an important job, but anyone could do it really. I don’t really work in winter. I’m on call for emergencies, but nothing ever happens. And if I’m not back by spring, I guess they’ll hand my job on to someone else.”
“I’m sure you’re being too modest,” she said, thinking what a nice, modest way he had about him. He was like a gentle giant – so naturally strong that he didn’t need to show off about it. Suddenly, she imagined herself folded into his arms, feeling his strength and warmth all around her.
“How about you?” Shit, he’d asked her a question. She snapped out of her reverie. He’s asking what job you do, dummy.
“Oh, nothing.” She waved her hand dismissively. “I’ve been a homemaker for the past two years. Kurt didn’t want me to work.”
“And before that?”
“I used to work in a bakery. I’ve always wanted to have my own place actually.” Caleb grinned.
“That would be a cool job. We don’t have a bakery in Stonybear Peak.” He stopped abruptly, as if he’d said something wrong.
“I’ll bake you a cake someday,” she said.
“I do have a sweet tooth,” he admitted with a grin.
“What’s your favorite?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because the guys already tease me for it.”
“Oh, come on. I won’t tell anyone,” she teased. Just then steaks came, smelling incredible. He shook his head.
“Sorry, the steak made me forget,” he said.
“Liar!” she said with a gasp of mock outrage. He shrugged.
“Maybe I’ll tell you over dessert. And I’ve realized that I’d really like a glass of wine to go with the steak. Do you want one too?”
“Yes,” she said immediately. She was now relaxed enough not to care if the wine made her soft and hazy.
It was a delicious combination, and they both ate ravenously, chatting lightly in between mouthfuls. She was amazed how easy he was to get on with. Kurt either talked at her in a monologue, or he was moody and silent, and she’d assumed that it was a feature of shifters, but Caleb was always coming up with topics of conversation, and he seemed interested in everything she was saying, leaning forwards and holding her gaze when she spoke. There was a moment when they both reached for the fries at the same time, and their hands brushed. He didn’t withdraw his immediately, but kept it there, his pinky lightly touching her thumb. Is he flirting with me? she wondered, and at the same time, she felt like electricity was running out of his body into hers.
The wine was having its effect, and when Caleb gently asked her about her life with Kurt, she found herself telling him everything. About how controlling he was, how he’d cut her off from all her friends and family, and prevented her from becoming part of her new community. And how he’d been violent towards her twice before, and hit her again yesterday. As she spoke, his eyes darkened and became fierce with suppressed anger.
Ethereal King Page 19
