by Mia Bishop
She melted against him. Her strange day had ended in one of the best orgasms of her life. Even though he’d only used his hands on her, it still ranked among the top three. No other man seemed to know how to make her feel alive except for Luc. Her eyelids grew heavy as she tried to stifle a yawn. Tomorrow would start a whole new chapter for her. As much as her mind wanted to stay awake and analyze what lay ahead of her, her body was exhausted and exhaustion won out. Within minutes she was sleeping peacefully curled up against the man who swore he was going to save her.
Luc lay awake, stroking Rowan’s hair. The day was not supposed to go the way it had. There was no complaining about what had just happened but he feared he had put her in more danger by bringing her to the forest.
When he had first laid eyes on her in the museum, he felt a spark ignite. As if his soul had found its mate. He had a feeling then that she was the one in red his father had told him about. He had decided in the museum to make sure she had every reason to stay far away from him. It had to be the best way to protect her, but he felt compelled to follow her. Maybe it was in his blood to stalk his prey, but when he decided to knock on her door and protect her, he knew there would be no going back.
His thoughts turned to his father but he shook them aside. He had to stay focused. Tomorrow he would have to train this city girl how to fight wolves and the other dangers lurking in the forest. He was sure she would go at it like a trooper but the odds of her succeeding and taking down the Big Bad Wolf were slim to none, which meant he would have to fight as well. It didn’t bother him. After all these years putting distance between himself and the forest, killing anyone who tried to hurt Rowan wouldn’t be an issue for him, but trying to keep his secret from her—that was another set of problems.
How could he tell her he was helping her to take down his own father? How would she react when she found out he was not a man but a wolf, a beast from the same line of beasts that had hunted and killed her family? He rubbed the bridge of his nose. He’d have to find a way to help her and keep his identity a secret. He could stand to lose his father, the wolf was clearly insane, but he had a sudden urge to protect Rowan and he knew beyond a doubt that it would shatter him to lose her.
There was a knock at the door. He cursed as he silently slipped out of bed and pulled on his leather breeches. Bracing the door with his foot, he opened it enough to see who was on the other side. An older lady who just happened to be the owner of the Rotten Apple stood holding a bundle of clothes. Some whispered she was a witch but Luc knew the truth—she was a princess cursed to look like a hag. Her prince had been shallow and turned away from her and so she resigned herself to this life, waiting on people, caring for the downtrodden. He nodded his head toward the bundle. “What’s this for, Lily?”
Her voice was barely a whisper. “‘Tis for your traveling companion. She looks a little out of place in a frilly dress. She sticks out like a sore thumb.”
He laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, she kinda does, doesn’t she?”
The look on Lily’s face told him all he needed to know. She would always help him, but she was also curious about the girl. “Is she from the other side of the Arch?”
“Yep.”
“Is she really the one in red?”
Luc let out a sigh and nodded again. “Most definitely.”
Lily narrowed her eyes. “You know what this means for you. Will you really go against your father?”
“I have to. She is my destiny.”
A soft smile touched the old woman’s lips. “You are a good wolf and a great man. Get some sleep. Everything she might need is in the bundle.”
“Thank you for this.”
She waved her hand and sighed. “You’re welcome. Just do me a favor and leave the inn early. I hear whispers that wolves have been spotted on the pathway from the west.”
Luc blinked. “They’re heading here? Already?”
“Aye, it seems we have an informant in the inn. They won’t make it here until midday. Leaving at sunrise will give you time to make a plan. Good luck.”
She handed him the bundle and then scurried down the hallway. He shut the door and grabbed a chair to brace under the handle just in case. Stripping down again, he climbed back into the straw bed and wrapped his arms around Rowan.
She stirred next to him, muttering in her sleep. He slid farther down in the bed and held her tight, finally letting his eyes close and his muscles relax. The warmth from her naked body soothed him as he drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Four
Morning came sooner than Rowan had expected. She sat up and stretched, her body aching from a hard night’s sleep in a straw bed. She was just about to move out of the bed when she spotted Luc at the window. He was standing there, elbow braced on the glass pane. The rising sun glinted off his bare chest. Her cheeks warmed thinking about how she had fallen asleep with him last night. He looked deep in thought and she hated to interrupt so she grasped the sheet around her naked body and slid as quietly out of bed as possible. As soon as her feet hit the floor, he snapped his head around. “Sleep well?”
She stopped mid-stretch and yawned. “Yeah.”
“You’re a terrible liar.”
Rowan laughed. “True. I slept like crap. How do you people get any rest on these beds?”
His bare shoulders shrugged. “Like I said, I prefer the other side of the Arch.”
She wrapped the sheet around herself and rummaged through her bag, pulling out a brush and running it through her blonde locks. “Why would anyone stay on this side? No plumbing, no soft, formfitting mattresses, no Egyptian cotton sheets…” She paused and looked up at him with eyes as wide as saucers. “No Starbucks?”
Luc tapped his finger to his nose and laughed. “Bingo, no Starbucks.”
“What the hell? I can’t even get a decent cup of coffee?”
“Actually Lily makes a better cup of coffee than any coffee shop. Trust me.”
“Lily? Who’s that?”
“She’s the owner. Everyone else here calls her Hag. She has her own fairytale curse to deal with.” He motioned toward a bundle on the rickety old dresser. “She brought you some clothes last night. You’ll probably like them more than you did the dress.”
Rowan dropped the brush on the bed and crossed the room to the dresser. Her hand hovered over the bundle. “Why would she do that?”
“I told you. If you fail, the entire Black Forest suffers. These people live in fear of Ulric and his pack, so they want you to succeed. You’ll find that you are a symbol to them of freedom.”
She dropped her hand to her side and breathed out a heavy sigh. “Jeez, no pressure there or anything.”
He was behind her before she realized it, his strong arms hooked around her waist to give her a squeeze. He rested his chin on her shoulder and whispered, “You’ll do fine. I won’t let you fail.”
“Why don’t you just do it yourself? That way you know it will get done. I mean you seem determined enough, surely you are more adept at killing than me. I can barely squish a spider let alone take out a human-beast thing.”
“I can’t kill him.”
“Why?”
Luc pulled back and sat at the edge of the bed. He picked up her brush and twirled it in his large hands. “I just can’t. I can’t be the one to kill him. His madness wouldn’t be stopped. I have my own role to play in all this but I can’t kill him.” He looked up and the look in his eyes told her he was done talking about it. “It’s complicated.”
She nodded. “Okay, I’ll do my best.”
His grin warmed her heart. “You’ll do great. But you better dress and gather your stuff. We need to head out soon. Ulric’s wolves were spotted heading here last night.”
Her pulse began to pound, a whooshing sound of blood pumping filled her ears. “Here? Already?”
“It’ll be okay. They won’t arrive here until midday, but the sun is already rising. We can leave here and make our way deeper into the forest
and they’ll have a harder time catching up. I’ll have time to start training you before we have to face them.”
Her stomach knotted. As much as her fear was building, she trusted his words. She turned her attention back to the bundle, unwrapping it and pulling out the new clothes. “Oh my.” She unfurled a pair of soft leather pants. They looked as if the supple leather would fit her like a glove. Luc made a soft growl from across the room and her cheeks reddened. She could feel his eyes on her and from the sound he’d made, she figured he liked the idea of her wearing them. Heat coursed through her body. She squeezed her thighs together to try to stop it from spreading.
Luc stood. “I’m going to wait downstairs for you.”
There was a strain in his voice. She frowned wondering what she’d done wrong. “Is everything okay?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, but I can scent your arousal in the air and mine will be hard to rein in if I stay here and watch you pour yourself into those leather pants. I can’t promise we’ll make it to the forest in time.” She could feel her cheeks growing redder as Luc nodded. “You might like the idea of that, but trust me, we need to stay focused.”
Rowan giggled. “Okay, go. Hurry, so I can get dressed.” She swept her hand toward the door. “Go.”
Luc shrugged on his sweater and headed toward the door. “Meet me at the entrance. I’m going to find some supplies and see if the kitchen can spare some food for us.”
As soon as he was gone, she made sure the door was locked, unwrapped the sheet from her body and let it pool on the floor at her feet. The feel of the leather sliding over her skin was divine. It was the softest material she’d ever felt, not like the fake leather pants she’d seen in store windows. She shimmied them over her hips and looked down at the thin leather laces. “No zippers? Of course not.” She quickly tied the laces, dove back into the bundle and pulled out the matching top. She narrowed her eyes. The top was more like a bustier. Her nostrils flared. “I’m not wearing that.”
A howl broke through the silence, she stiffened, her heart pounding again. She ran to the window eyeing the ground below. An older man stood with a dog at his side. The beast threw its head back and howled. She shivered but started to relax. “Okay, girl. Pull it together. Put on the damn top and let’s roll. You have some wolves to kill and…” Her words trailed off as her thoughts went to Luc and what they had shared the previous night. Rushing back to the dresser, she slipped the bustier on, pulling on the laces. She sucked in a deep breath and gave the laces one last tug to secure it. She ran her hands down the soft leather, taking a minute to look over her reflection in the window. She’d never seen herself looking like this. She looked strong and for a moment, she allowed herself to believe she could actually do this. Take on a crazy wolf and win.
After finding her boots from yesterday and gathering up all of her belongings in her bag, she threw the red cloak over her shoulders and pulled the hood up over her head as she left the room.
Luc was waiting for her at the desk. His pack looked full now and he was holding out an apple to her. “Eat something.”
She nodded and took a bite out of the sweet fruit. “Are we headed out now?”
He steered her toward the door, holding it open as he waited for her pass by him. Once they were on the front steps of the inn, he held out something in his hand. Rowan arched a brow before taking the lump of black from his palm. The lump turned out to be a pair of leather gloves. She gave a little laugh. “Fashion accessory?”
“Protection.”
“Protection? From what?”
“Blisters.”
“You know your one-word answers make having a conversation with you very one sided.” She ran to keep up with his quick pace.
“Sorry.” He turned his attention toward her. “Protection from blisters. You’ll be learning to use your daggers today and Hag thought you’d like to have a pair of gloves. Although if you aren’t interested, you can suffer through blisters and scabs.”
“Um, no thanks.” She slipped her hands into the gloves and held them up to admire the craftsmanship.
He led her down the path. She trailed only a few steps behind him. She was sure he knew where he was going so interrupting his concentration with chatter seemed like a bad idea. Instead she lost herself to the beauty of this new world. She’d been raised in the city. Cars, buses, pedestrians, buildings, that was her forest. Muggers, catcalling construction workers, and sleazy bosses trying to cop a feel were her wolves. She was at home in the city but out here in the wild, she was scared of her own shadow. Worse yet, she still knew nothing of this world, for all she knew her shadow could be dangerous.
“What’s on your mind, Red? You’re awfully quiet back there.” Luc glanced over his shoulder to lock eyes with her for a moment before turning his attention back to the path.
“Just wondering what else I have to worry about here. You know, other than the pack of wolves hell-bent on killing me.”
“Technically, it’s just the one wolf. The others only follow because he is the alpha. Once you kill him, they will have to bow to the will of a new leader.”
She was almost out of breath trying to catch up with him, tired of taking up the rear. “Who will be the new alpha?” Did she just imagine Luc’s shoulders tensing and the sideways glance he gave her? After several seconds, she prodded him more. “Luc? Who takes Ulric’s place?”
He gave a nonchalant shrug. “I guess his next of kin.”
“He has children?” She shouldn’t be shocked but she was. “Are they… You know, sane?”
An uncomfortable laugh escaped from him. “Yeah, as sane as one can be, I suppose.”
“Hmmm, so I’m killing one crazy wolf only to have him replaced by another wolf who might or might not be just as crazy as his father?” Luc gave a sharp nod as she breathed out a sigh. “Lovely.” He suddenly veered off the well-worn path and headed toward the sound of flowing water. Panic filled her voice. “Why are we leaving the path? Isn’t that the safest route to take?”
“Safe if you want to get eaten quicker.”
“Well, um, not to split hairs but that sounds like the opposite of ‘safe’, you know?”
He motioned for her to keep walking and snorted. “Kinda the point, Red.”
“I see you’re back to being Captain Sarcasm again? Is that your super power?”
“I thought you said being a smart-ass was my super power.”
She groaned and held her hand to her head. “You give me such a headache.” Stomping through the underbrush after him, she wondered how her heavy footsteps weren’t attracting predators from miles around, but she tried to push the thought from her mind. Being scared wouldn’t help anything right now. “Do you ever have a serious moment?”
“I was very serious last night.” He looked over at her and grinned. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
Her stomach clenched, thinking about the feel of his lips and hands exploring her. Shaking her head, she quickly changed the topic. “When do we start training?”
“Up ahead. There is a clearing where we can practice.” He led the way, holding low-hanging branches out of her way as she made her way into the clearing.
She let out a low whistle. “Wow, this is beautiful.” Slowly she approached the center of the clearing, turning in a circle to take in the ethereal sight around her. The clearing was more like a meadow, dotted with wildflowers. Thick trees lined the border, lush green grass carpeted the ground and little dots of light danced in the air. The lights flickered and circulated color. They held her mesmerized until Luc barked, “Ignore the fairies! They’re trying to lull you into a trance.” He gave another snarl and all the little lights swarmed off to the edge of the meadow.
Rowan frowned. “Why’d you do that? They weren’t hurting anything.”
“They are pests of our world, Red. Like cockroaches are to your world. Would you just be okay with thousands of cockroaches buzzing all around you, trying to hypnotize you?”
“But they aren’t
cockroaches, they are fairies.”
He dropped his pack and started unloading items, finally pulling out her box of daggers. “Let’s agree to disagree for now and get to work.”
She dropped her bag and pulled the cloak off, setting it on the grass next to her bag, “Okay, I’m ready. What are we doing?”
He handed her two daggers and took a step back. “You are going to attack me. Ready?”
Ready? Was he insane? She wasn’t a fighter. She’d had a few scraps in her youth but never with weapons and never against someone who looked as if they were built for both death and sex all wrapped up in the perfect package. Her stomach knotted again. Damn him. Damn her for being so damn attracted to him.
His head snapped up as if he’d heard her thoughts and the wicked grin he wore made her even more sure that he had some special mind-reading abilities. She clenched the daggers in her hands and clenched her teeth. “Ready.” She ground out the words and then attacked. It was clumsy. She just leapt forward and started swinging the blades wildly. Luc jumped back and expertly deflected the awkward blows with blades of his own. She cursed and stumbled to the side, as one of her heels got stuck in the soft dirt. “Shit!” She yelped as she landed on the ground with a thud.
Luc was bent over laughing, which made her even angrier. She buried her daggers in the grass and pushed herself to her feet.
“Your approach might need some work, Red.”
“Screw you.”
“Such language.”
She ground her teeth in frustration. “I need help, Luc. I don’t need to be teased.”
A sudden realization flashed in his eyes. He gave a slow thoughtful nod. “You’re right. I apologize. Pick up your blades, we’ll try this again.”
Rowan wrinkled her nose but did as he said and pulled her daggers out of the ground. “Fine. Ready?”
Luc shook his head. “This time, I want you try to read my movements. You’ve got this in your blood. Once you let yourself go, it will all come naturally.” She gave him a look of disbelief. Luc raised his eyebrow and added, “Remember back in your apartment when you caught the blade?”
