Once Richard and I made our way down the long winding drive, past more trees and buildings, we were left with only the sound of the pounding rain. I’d known Richard long enough that even if we rode the whole ten minutes to his house in silence it wouldn’t be awkward. But, I wanted to talk to him.
“How are you doing?” I asked.
Richard was taking a good look at the inside of the Hummer. He tapped the door. “Armor plated.” He looked in the back. “Heavily armed.” Richard looked back at me as he concluded, “You must have taken Alfred’s truck.”
“How did you know?”
“The minute gun attached to the wall was a give-a-way.”
I sighed. “Richard I’m sorry I didn’t reach you sooner. I saw Bade just as I drove up. Well, I didn’t know it was Bade. I tracked him down first thinking he might know where you were. Once we realized that neither one of us had a clue as to what was going on, a werewolf attacked me and—”
“It’s all right,” he interrupted. “I’m alive.”
“No, Richard, it’s not all right. I just found one of my best friends chained to a wall because he was unfortunate enough to be close to me.”
“Yeah. I was also unfortunate enough to have someone to call who could save me from those monsters. And unfortunately she interrupted Bill before he could inject me with something to alter my DNA too. You’re absolutely right. That was unfortunate,” he said sarcastically.
“He tried to inject you with something?”
While I drove Richard told me what happened. It was not unusual for several of the science faculty to work until midnight or later. About eleven o’clock Mallory had come to his office. She asked for his help with something in her lab. Being the nice guy that he is, Richard agreed to go, like she’d known he would.
“You’ve got to learn to say no,” I told him.
But, Richard belonged in an old western somewhere, singing a song and wearing a white hat. His reactions to Mallory and Keith that night had been the first time I’d seen him without the white hat. Richard was a good guy through and through and I knew it was just the stress of what happened that made him react the way he did. If I knew Richard, he’d feel guilty about it later.
As he continued with the story I was glad to have him close to me. Richard was like the brother I never had, and I couldn’t bear him being hurt because of me. I wanted to pull him close and say, “It’s all right. They can’t hurt you.” But it wasn’t true and that night had proved the point. He said Mallory pushed him to the floor after telling him why she’d ruined his reputation. She knew I’d come for him and wanted me to find him dead. But before she could put her grubby paws on him, Bill stopped her.
“You mean he asked her to stop?”
“No. He stopped her. You remember what I said about him experimenting with the snakes?”
“Yes.”
“Well, he’d been working with werewolf DNA. He found a way to extract the part that was wolf and replace it with the snake.”
“What did he do to Mallory?” I prompted.
“You know how she was about those damned snakes. She practically deified them. Bill had created a version of the virus that instead of ‘taking on the beast’ as you guys call it, he took on the serpent.”
“So, she fell down and worshiped him?”
“Close enough. All he had to do was ask.”
“Shit,” I said hotly. “Leave it to some sicko like Bill to create another virus.” I sighed heavily. “That’s what Bade smelled tonight. He said it was something big and poisonous. Wait till I tell Alfred.”
“When’s he due back?”
I looked at the clock. It was after five.
“Sometime today,” I answered.
Of course I’d leave out the fact that I had werewolf cooperation to rescue Richard. Especially considering who it was that had cooperated. Bade was number two on a lot of Hunter’s most wanted lists.
*****
I took Richard home, treated his wounds and was back on the road within the hour. He was lucky to have escaped with minor bruises and a small cut on his forehead. His emotional scars were not as obvious, but I’m sure they were there. You don’t see people ripped apart and walk away from the incident unchanged. I should know I’d seen it enough. It’s something you never get used to. At least I’d never gotten used to it and I took that as a good sign. If I ever got used to watching people be brutally mangled, it was time to seek a different line of work, and a therapist.
My wounds would all be healed within a few days. But I hated to greet Alfred like that. I’d wanted to be perfect when I saw him again. Any bruising, which if I had any it shouldn’t be severe, would be gone by noon. The scratch on my left cheek from that asshole Keith would be gone before nightfall. It was the deep puncture wounds on my left forearm that would take the longest to heal. Any injury I’d ever received from a lycanthrope had always taken longer to heal. I’m not sure why, and I tried not to think about it.
It would be around seven when I got home. I hoped I could at least take a bath before Alfred arrived.
*****
The minute I walked in the door I knew it was too late to take a shower first. The smell of rich coffee wafted in from the kitchen and I knew Alfred was home.
When I stepped into the kitchen his back was turned to me. I could tell by the rigid set of his broad shoulders that he was upset about something. Maybe it was the fact that I hadn’t been home when he arrived. But, something kept me from running to him. Something was not right.
“Hello, Alfred.”
As he turned to me I watched all the anger drain from his features. Damn, he looked good. Alfred was dressed all in black. The mock turtle neck he wore fit him well, complementing curves and muscles his usual attire did not reveal. The black slacks he wore were not tight, but they fit well enough that I wanted to see more. Alfred always dressed nice, but he also wore a lab coat to cover it up. I had to get him out of that lab coat more often.
He took a cloth from underneath the sink and dampened it. I anticipated his touch as I watched Alfred walk over and begin to wipe the small cut on my left cheek. I wanted to wrap myself around him and say how glad I was to see him, but there was something in his eyes that held me back.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” I said softly.
I could tell something was wrong, but I couldn’t imagine what. I’d expected to be embraced, not this sort of medical detachment while he treated my wounds.
“Richard was kidnapped,” I explained.
“What happened?” His voice was cold.
I recounted the story for Alfred, leaving out only that Bade helped me and that consequently everything was his fault. Especially since Alfred knew nothing of what had happened between Marco and myself.
“So, he’s all right?”
“Yes.”
“What about you?” he asked more softly.
“I’ll live.”
He turned around unexpectedly and went back to his coffee.
“I had a visitor this morning.”
“Kat?”
“Marcy.”
The instant he said her name I felt the hairs on the back of my neck bristle. That’s what wasn’t right. Marcy Johnson was our new neighbor, and I’d just as soon eat dirt as to look at her. The moment I’d first walked into the kitchen and found her flirting with Alfred, I’d developed an immediate hatred.
“I don’t ever want that woman in my house again,” I said coldly.
Alfred looked at me, but otherwise didn’t respond for a moment.
“That woman had some interesting things to share with me. “
Just the thought of Marcy sharing oxygen with Alfred set my blood on fire.
“Like what?”
“Like the fact that you’ve been dating Officer Jasper in my absence. It seems she was very surprised to see me here at all. Apparently, everyone thinks you’ve kicked me out and moved on to him.” His voice remained calm, but Alfred’s eyes burned with emotion.<
br />
“I cannot control people’s mouths. You know how bad this town gossips.”
“I do,” he cut in. “That’s why I’m asking you. Have you been seeing Elijah while I was gone?”
“Not like that, no.”
He put the coffee cup down and his hand shook. “Like how?” he growled.
“Like we spent some time together.”
“It’s true!” he yelled.
“We’re friends, Alfred. Kat even went out with us!”
Alfred turned his back on me again and I couldn’t stand it.
“How the hell did she even know you were back?”
“She saw me in town,” he answered quietly. “I went to buy some cherries.”
I loved cherries and I knew without being told he’d bought them for me.
“She asked me to go out with her tonight, and I’m going,” he blurted out.
Alfred might as well have stabbed me. It would have had the same effect as those words. I gripped the doorframe and bent forward slightly, placing a hand over my heart. I was glad Alfred’s back was turned. I didn’t want him to see how much he’d hurt me.
Before he could speak again, I took off up the stairs. As I closed the bathroom door I began to tear the catsuit away from my throat. I couldn’t breathe and I shredded the material as I stumbled and sprawled myself across the floor. I had to get a grip. But the room spun and as I pressed my face against the cool wood floor, I knew I was having a panic attack. Of all the things that could have happened, losing Alfred before he was ever really mine was not something I’d expected. And to that bitch?!
I had a vision of him touching her and I didn’t make it to the toilet. For at least ten minutes I threw up into the bathtub.
*****
After the waves of nausea had passed I decided Alfred would never know how much he’d just hurt me, because I would never let him see. And at the first opportunity Marcy would have an “accident.” But as soon as I thought it, I knew I couldn’t kill her simply because I hated her. For the first time in my life I wished I truly was a monster. Monsters have no conscience.
I cleaned out the tub, disposed of my shredded catsuit, and put away my weapons. A sort of numbness settled over me as I peeled off the bandages on my left arm and stepped into the shower. My wounds had already healed dramatically since I was attacked late the night before. There was only minor bruising and the punctures had closed over. By the evening they would shrink in size and within a week or so be gone without a trace.
But for the time being my arm hurt. However it was nothing compared to the pain in my chest. It all hurt, but I was too numb to cry. I was in shock.
After cleaning and redressing my already healing wounds, I dried my hair. As I stood before the mirror I noticed that the scratch on my cheek was only the faintest line. It might be gone before noon. It surprised me that I had the strength of will to put on makeup, but I’d be damned if he saw me without it. Not only did I want to look composed, but I wanted Alfred to get a good look at what he’d be missing.
After a few minutes thought, I decided I needed to thrash something. My black vinyl catsuit and an hour or so in the training room sounded like just the thing. Vinyl wasn’t exactly the best material to workout in. However, Alfred had commented more than once how good I looked in that suit. If he saw me, I wanted him to suffer. So what if the vinyl made me sweat a little extra? It wasn’t like I could go to sleep after what I’d seen the night before anyway. I’d go beat the shit out of my punching bag until I collapsed.
Food was the last thing on my mind, but if I didn’t eat I’d be sick again. As I walked into the kitchen I saw the spare key to Alfred’s lab on the counter and snatched it up. He was still in my house. No matter how I tried to hide it, I would love Alfred until I dropped dead.
He was mine and he’d be mine before he would ever be Marcy’s. Alfred would spend the night with me, even if I had to seduce him.
*****
I found the door to the lab unlocked. As I walked in Alfred’s back was once again turned and I took the opportunity to say my piece without having to look him in the eye. If he was going to turn me away, he was going to know how I felt first. My heart was in my throat, but I did my best to speak around it.
“You can leave if you want to.” I hesitated. “But I’ve loved you for too long to let you go without a fight.”
Alfred turned to face me and the surprise on his face was plain to see. As I looked into his dark eyes I knew my powers of seduction were of no use here. I wanted Alfred to stay because he wanted to, not because he’d been tricked into doing so.
“Do you care for her?” I pressed. My heart pounded in anticipation of his response. I wasn’t used to putting myself on the line so blatantly. But I had to know. If he cared for Marcy, as much as I despised her, I’d leave them alone.
He looked stunned but answered, “Non potrei mai amare una donna.” (I could never love a woman like her.)
“Then why go out with her? If you have feelings for me, why would you do that?”
“I’m not having this argument with you, Lilith. Why did you think I stay here, why I never go out?” He ran a hand through his dark hair and as it fell back against his forehead, I longed to lose myself in the silken feel of it between my fingers.
“I can’t pretend I’ve never noticed that you’re beautiful, but if you can’t see how much I care, why stick around?”
I took a step forward as I said firmly, “You can’t go out tonight, Alfred.”
“And why not?”
I walked over to the desk where he stood, but could not yet meet his eyes again. I reached out and took his big hand in both of mine, lightly rubbing the calluses on his knuckles.
“Because I won’t have these hands on anyone else,” I said as I looked up into his eyes.
“And where would you have them?” he asked, his face blank and unreadable.
I made a bold move and placed his hand on my left breast.
“I would have your hands on me.”
I felt my nipple harden under the warmth of his touch. He smiled at me with that lazy half smile of his.
“You might want me to wash my hands first.” The smile got wider. “I was in Jacob’s lab all day before coming here.”
I watched as Alfred washed and dried his hands before walking back to where I stood behind his desk. I noticed he had put the lab coat back on, and I wanted to snatch it off.
“If you’re planning on screwing my brains out, I’m a genius you know,” he teased. “This might take quite a while.”
“You talk like you think you’re good.”
He took another step toward me as he replied, “I am good.”
“I thought you were too involved with your work to have time for women.”
He smiled gently. “I’m a scientist, not a monk.”
Alfred stepped closer and began rubbing the nape of my neck, and running his fingers through my hair. As he bent down to kiss my throat I pulled back to take a breath.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“My heart, it’s beating so fast.”
He smiled. “Are you afraid?”
“Maybe a little.”
“But not of me.” He made it a statement.
I ran my hands inside Alfred’s coat and leaned into him, pressing my breasts against him.
“No,” I answered softly, “not of you.”
I held him tightly as I sighed. “This is nice. But it’s not ringing my bell.”
I turned Alfred around and pushed him back into the large chair behind the desk. He smiled and asked, “What are you doing?”
“Ringing my bell,” I replied as I walked over to the corner where Alfred’s stereo sat.
If there’s one thing we’ve always had in common, it’s our taste in music. A mix of Marvin Gaye’s greatest hits wasn’t hard to find. And it’s a good thing, because getting it on was exactly what I had in mind. As Marvin’s mellow voice began to sing, I turned back to Alfred. I would
say I walked toward him, but that would not do justice to this “walk.” If a tigress walks toward her prey, then I walked toward Alfred.
He pushed back from the desk as I approached. Without missing a beat, I reached one slender leg across him. I stood straddling his legs, looking down at him as I unzipped my suit to reveal my throat, and went lower, partially exposing my breasts and upper abdomen.
I sat down on him and kissed his lower lip only. Alfred put his hands on my thighs, almost touching my butt and lifted me up as he stood. He sat me on the desk behind him with my legs still wrapped around his hips. We kissed for what seemed both a moment and an hour. Nothing pornographic, just a lot of nice gentle kisses. I slid the lab coat off his shoulders. He gave a shrug and let it fall to the floor.
I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed the feel of his powerful body near mine, his eyes, his lips, his face. I longed to drown in the deep caramel of his skin.
He reached out to touch the left side of my face and I brushed against his hand, the way a cat does if you pet it. As I did this I closed my eyes. I realized after a moment that when I closed my eyes, I saw through his. I was beautiful with my eyes closed, face pressed against his hand. My skin looked lighter against the contrast of the black I was wearing. My hair was so red, it was like a living flame. My lips were full and half parted, awaiting his next touch. My abs and breasts looked so firm and my skin appeared as cream beneath his gaze. I’d never thought of myself as beautiful. When I remembered my own opinions, I realized I was seeing myself not only through Alfred’s eyes, but as he saw me. It was as if none of my flaws existed.
Then I opened my eyes and saw from my own perspective again.
“Stay,” I said.
“Non ti lascero mai,” he whispered as his lips met mine once more. (I will never leave you.)
Alfred kissed me with a hunger that he had kept in check before and I felt my self-control begin to shatter. I wanted to take my time, but I’d waited for so long, that might not be an option.
Chapter Ten
I reached for Alfred’s belt and he stopped me.
Lilith Mercury, Werewolf Hunter Series (Boxed Set, Books 1-3) Page 45
