by T. J. Finn
Leaning forward in the chair, he studied her. Could she hear his thoughts? She smiled and shook her head. “I know that look all too well. For some reason I can’t hear your thoughts, Finn. I did, however, hear what those men were thinking and what they wanted.”
The air left him as he sat back. “What did you hear from them?”
She shrugged. “Not a lot that you can use. One of them was reminding himself not to damage your wolf’s fur because it was worth thousands. Your wolf really is beautiful.”
One corner of Finn’s lips curved up as he nodded. “Silver blue. Very rare. I inherited it from my grandfather. So, you can’t hear me at all?” Claire shook her head.
“Not even a peep.”
“Why do you think that is?” Claire shrugged her shoulders and looked over at the flames. They stayed silent for a few minutes before he spoke again.
“Why did you tell me? You didn’t have to. If you can’t hear my thoughts, then I would never have known.”
Claire took a deep breath and tore her eyes from the flames. “I’ve been trying for a long time to build my walls to shut out all the voices. I was making progress until one day I was out with my friend Michael, a shifter, and I heard someone.” She tapped her temple. “In here. I tried to bring up my walls and nearly missed hearing that someone had us in their sights. I turned to tell Michael that we needed to get out of there when the first bullet hit his shoulder.”
Finn seemed to jerk in response as he listened to Claire recount her story. She was lucky that she’d survived. He’d been tracking the two poachers who had taken him for a while, and they had left no witnesses alive. Like him, once they had shot him, Claire’s friend’s wolf had taken over and shifted to heal. His shifting had sealed his fate.
“I’m sorry, Claire. I understand how you feel. I was supposed to be with my cousin the day the poachers got him. If I had been maybe he would be alive.”
Claire looked at him and he knew she understood the look in his eyes along with the anguish in his voice. He heard how it had caused her heart to thrum in response to him. “You know, Finn, I could help you.”
He shook his head, frowning. “How, Claire? I don’t understand.”
She took a deep breath, holding his gaze. “I told you. I’m telepathic. I can listen to people’s thoughts and that can help us find the poachers, and being a witch, I’m certain I can magically get them to tell us where this man named Corbin is.”
Chapter 5
Claire
There it was, all out in the open, and Claire held her breath waiting for Finn to say something, anything, she could grab onto that would give her hope that she could help save the people she loved. She watched him as he watched her, an epic staring contest during which she watched a range of emotions cross over his face before he stood and moved to stand in front of the fireplace.
Claire watched Finn as he just stood there, looking into the fire, and her heart felt like it was shrinking. Disappointment filled her as her throat tightened, her shoulders slumped at what she could only think was his denial of her help. Looking away from him, she knew she had a decision to make. He had given her some useful information that she could take to her dad and the two of them could find this Corbin on their own.
She looked back to Finn, taking a deep breath before she spoke. “It’s okay, Finn. I understand if you don’t want my help. As soon as this snow stops and we can dig ourselves out, I’ll drive you to town and help you find a way out of here so you can continue your search.”
Finn turned around and studied her a moment, but she didn’t know what he was thinking. This was unfamiliar territory, being the first time in her life that she wished she could hear someone’s thoughts. He let out a breath, shrugging his shoulders as he shook his head and turned to her.
“It’s not that I don’t want your help, Claire. In fact, at this point, I need someone’s help. But I don’t think you understand the risks.” She opened her mouth to protest, wanting to remind him of her friend, but he held up a hand to stop her. “I know you were there when your friend died. I understand what you’re feeling. I do, but this is beyond dangerous to both of us. I don’t want you to risk your life for me.
“I wouldn’t be risking my life for you. I’d be risking my life for my friends, my family, and everyone I love. I can’t always be an active participant with my family or friends because of my telepathy issues. The voices just get to be too much for me, even when my family helps me block things out. This is how I can finally help them.” Her voice was thick with emotion as she thought of the people she loved and how much she missed them.
Her declaration to him was a surprise even to herself. Yes, she’d always felt left out of everything because she couldn’t be around too many people for any length of time. She got blinding headaches, became nauseous and unable to take in all the voices barraging her at once. As a little girl she had withdrawn from everyone except her family and a few friends. She had missed out on so much in her life.
Then there was the guilt that consumed her most days. She felt like she had let everyone down after the death of her best friend Michael. She’d heard the thoughts of the men who had killed him, but she had been nearly crippled with fear and he was trying to take care of her instead of the other way around. If she could have warned him sooner, if she could have protected him, if...she shook her head. There were just so many if’s in her life and she would not let it happen again.
Claire heard Finn sigh, and she looked up at him. “Claire, I…” He shook his head again as if he could shake whatever he was thinking out of his head, then nodded “Okay, Claire. You can help me.”
Her squeal of excitement echoed around the cabin as she jumped up from her chair and wrapped her arms around his neck, nearly knocking him down. His warm laughter echoed in his chest and vibrated against hers. Pulling back, her arms still around his neck, she gave him a smile before she leaned in and gave him a quick, grateful kiss on his cheek.
Claire pulled her head back, breathless. Her eyes dropped to his lips, her tongue darting out to lick own. Her eyes slowly moved up to find his heated gaze watching her. Suddenly she became aware of how her heart started beating faster and a soft warm flush spread across her skin.
Finn’s eyes dropped and her full lips parted, her breaths coming quicker and her heart skittering in her chest, feeling like a rock skipping water as she watched, as if in slow motion, Finn’s head dropping, his lips finding hers. The kiss was soft, his lips lingering against hers for a moment before he kissed her again. His hands moved up her back, pressing her closer still, molding her curves against his hard body. This kiss was slow and teasing, his tongue sweeping across her lips, asking for entrance. He lifted his head slightly, whispering. “Let me in, Claire.”
His plea was a hoarse whisper, but he didn’t need to ask again as she parted her lips and his tongue swept inside, brushing against hers. Claire moaned softly as he deepened the kiss, tasting her, stroking his tongue across hers. One hand moved up to cup her neck as the other pulled her impossibly closer. She could feel every hard muscle of his body as her hands moved across his back in appreciation. There was no fat anywhere, just hard lines and muscles that were twitching under her touch.
Claire’s entire body throbbed, her blood running hot, rushing through her, pooling between her legs. She’d been kissed before, hell, she wasn’t a virgin, but he’d managed to rock her world with just a kiss. She wanted to crawl up his body, then kiss her way down it, running her tongue along every crevice and ridge.
Finn broke the kiss, trailing soft kisses across her cheek and her forehead, then stepped away. Claire slowly opened her eyes, swaying slightly from the kiss, both of them panting, trying to calm their breathing.
“Wow.” Claire’s voice sounded foreign to her, low and breathy. She ran her tongue over her lips again, tasting his kiss, and heard him groan.
“Don’t do that, Claire. I’m a strong man but have my weaknesses and you have suddenly become my weakne
ss.” Her eyes widened slightly, and she pressed her lips together.
Putting a little more distance between them, she swallowed, taking long slow breaths to calm her heart. He watched her, almost unblinking, and she was suddenly nervous at his scrutiny. She rubbed her hands on her jeans then tucked some stray hair behind her ear, clearing her throat before she spoke. “I’m...uh….going to take a shower. The coffee is in the cabinet above the coffee pot if you want a fresh pot. I know mine wasn’t very good. There’s also some soda and juice in the fridge. Help yourself.”
She knew she was rambling and forced herself to stop. A slight movement caught her eye, and she saw his lips twitching just before they broke into a smile. Her heart did that little stammer it seemed to do every time she looked at him, and the fluttering in her stomach was back, but she couldn’t help but return his smile.
“Really. I’m going to go take a shower then we can talk about a plan, how we will do all this.” Feeling keyed up, and, at the same time, a little more relaxed, she left him watching her as she slipped into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
Leaning against the door, she put her hand to her chest. WOWZER could the man kiss. But still it bothered her that she couldn’t hear his thoughts. Frowning, she pushed away from the door and went to the bathroom.
She shed the sweats she was wearing and turned on the shower. Once the steam was billowing out from behind the glass door, she stepped into it and closed her eyes, leaning her head forward to let the water fall down her back. Her body was still humming from their shared kiss. It had been so long since she’d been kissed or touched or, well, anything like that. Hell, just being held the way he’d held her had felt so good.
Claire loved living in the mountains in her cabin, surrounded by all the beauty of the Rockies, but she was lonely. Not lonely enough to just hop into bed with someone she just met, but she missed the touch of another person. Her family was very affectionate. Something she craved. Maybe that’s why her body still tingled where he’d touched her, or where his hand had grasped her neck. Yes, that had to be it.
She washed her hair, then grabbed her lemon soap and moved it over her skin. Her sister worked with herbs and had made it for her, giving her a case of it before she’d moved. She’d have to let Eva know soon that she needed more.
Closing her eyes, she got her hands soaped up, then moved them slowly over her body, down her shoulders, and over to her breasts. She imagined that it was Finn’s fingers circling her hardening nipples, pulling and pinching them. Running her hands down and over her stomach, she wanted it to be his fingers brushing through her red curly mound, slipping past her wet, swollen folds, and dipping into her heat as he kissed her. Her fingers found the swollen bud, and she pressed and rubbed, her lips parting in a soft moan. It was his fingers bringing her close, sending tiny little jolts of pleasure through her.
Leaning back against the tiled wall, Claire gasped softly as she pressed against her clit harder, rubbing faster. Her other fingers found her hard nipples again, circling and pinching them as she slowly teetered on the brink of an orgasm. Finally, she moaned softly as she went over the edge, her body shuddering with her release.
Claire opened her eyes and straightened. She should have gotten one of her toys from her nightstand, damn it. No, wait! What was she doing?
She was fantasizing about a man she didn’t know, touching her, bringing her to orgasm. Shaking her head and taking several deep breaths to calm herself, she finished her shower and stepped out.
Swiping a hand over the fogged-up mirror, she stared at her reflection, biting her lip for a moment until her mouth spread into a wide smile. Why shouldn’t she fantasize about Finn touching her? Hell, why not see if she could get the man to do more than just touch her? She wouldn’t have to worry about hearing his thoughts because she couldn’t. She wouldn’t have to be afraid that she’d someday hear some derogatory remark or hear his mind wander in the middle of it all.
They had a plan to make. The snow should stop by tomorrow night, so they would dig themselves out and leave. But that gave her almost two full days to see what she could do.
Chapter 6
Finn
What the hell was he thinking? Finn sat in the chair in front of the fire, staring into the flames, berating himself for kissing Claire. Despite his distrust of witches, he wanted more from her...much more, and his agitated wolf paced as if he’d just scented his mate. He straightened. Mate? No, he didn’t know her, he’d just met her and she was, well, a witch. Besides, he didn’t believe in love at first sight or even “mate” at first sight. He knew it had been that way for his parents, but they were both wolves from the same pack. Their love had been strong and rare, a shining example to him and his three brothers.
A heaviness crept into Finn’s body as he thought of his parents. Losing his mother, who’d died while protecting Finn, had sapped the life right out of his dad. Finn had only been four, just a young pup who had run away from the pack for a little romping and running in the woods surrounding their pack land. His mother had come looking for him when they had encountered the very man Finn was now hunting.
His mother was shot right in front of him and she had told him to run. He had refused at first, but she pleaded with him. Finally, he’d run, not stopping until he found his father and older brothers. They wouldn’t let him go with them to find her, but he remembered them carrying her body back, covered in their coats and shirts. The trauma of it all had left him feeling broken and guilty for the rest of his life.
Hearing the shower turn off and a hairdryer turn on, he watched the bedroom door expectantly. Shaking his head, he forced himself to look away. He was acting like a teenage pup just entering puberty. He’d scented her before she even opened the door, her unique combination of lavender and lemon with a mix of...desire? A smile spread across his lips as he looked back at the door. It was desire he scented and knew what she had done in the shower. His suspicions were confirmed when she opened the door and looked at him, a beautiful pink flush spreading over her cheeks.
Claire visibly swallowed when their eyes met as she pushed away from the door and walked into the kitchen. Grabbing a soda from the refrigerator, she came back to the sofa across from him and sat down. She avoided looking at him for a moment; the silence stretching out between them like a rubber band being pulled further and further apart.
Finn glanced at the clock on the mantel, breaking the tension between them, and saw that it was barely noon. Hopefully, she hadn’t decided to not talk to him the entire day.
Claire took one more swallow of soda, then looked at him. “From the weather reports, I figure this storm will go through tomorrow, but by the evening it should stop or at least lessen and then we can dig out the next morning. The main roads will probably be cleared by midafternoon so once we can get out of here, we shouldn’t have any trouble getting to where we need to be.”
Finn nodded, relaxing back in his chair, relieved that she was going to speak to him after all. “Do you have a map or anything so I can get my bearings? The last thing I knew, I was in Durango.”
Claire nodded and jumped up from the sofa, walking over to an armoire sitting against the wall next to the fireplace. She rummaged through a drawer until she pulled out a folded map and went back to the sofa, dropping to the floor in front of it. As she opened the map, Finn sat down on the floor next to her, leaning close.
“Durango is here.” Claire pointed to the map while he leaned over her arm. “I live about 45 minutes just south of Lake City, which is here. So, you’re about two and half hours or so from Durango. From there it’s about a five- or six-hour drive to Roswell, where my family lives.”
Finn studied the map, seeing all the routes the men could have taken to where he’d escaped them. “You know, Claire, your cabin isn’t that far away from my pack lands.” He pointed to an area around Powderhorn and Mineral Mountain. “I have been tracking shifter kills from Powderhorn to Pagosa Springs and over to Durango. Maybe Corbin
is somewhere in this triangle.”
He ran his finger from Powderhorn to Pagosa Springs, over to Durango, then to Lake City. Claire shook her head.
“I don’t think so.”
Claire leaned over the map and traced a line from Durango to an area just outside of Roswell. “I don’t know why but I think he’s closer to this area. There is a large shifter population just outside of Roswell.” She looked up at him. “He doesn’t just go after wolf shifters. There are bear and lion shifters in that area. My friend who was killed was a lion shifter.”
“You might be right. There is a large shifter population around this area too. Maybe he’s between here and the other community.”
That made sense to Finn. If Corbin was going after more than just wolf shifters, then he must know about the bears who lived further into the mountains around the Silverton/Telluride area.
Claire nodded. “I think he is. We just have to figure out where.” She frowned and nibbled on her bottom lip, trying to remember the area outside of Roswell and on the way to Durango. Something didn’t fit. “That doesn’t answer why those men were heading the opposite way of New Mexico with you.”
Finn leaned back, resting on his hands, and looked at her for a moment. Looking into eyes the color of emeralds, he could see her mind working, as if she were figuring out an intricate jigsaw puzzle. The map lay before her, but she looked at him like she was trying to look into his soul for the answer to solving all the world’s problems.
Something seemed to shift in her eyes and a pink blush spread across her cheeks. She cleared her throat, looking back down at the map. “I’ll call my dad. He might be able to help us. Then, once we dig ourselves out of here, we can decide if we will head toward Roswell or not.”
