Lost & Found (A Lost Ones Novel Book 1)

by Khristine Stain

  Dae licked them in anticipation–

  The door shook behind her back as someone banged hard against the other side. Dae twisted and jumped away from him before he could grab her. She had never been so fast before in her life.

  She was mortified. Had she really just let him…Whatever Koda did to make her feel that was bad. Her body throbbed for his touch and her crazy self screamed and snarled like a rabid beast. Dae was in her room with the door locked before he made his way to stop her.

  Her body was shaking, she didn’t know if it was from fear or excitement. Maybe both? Her crazy self demanded she go back out there with him but she refused. Dae didn’t get by in life by doing stupid crap. Ok, well Dae actually did get by in life by doing stupid crap but this was beyond stupid.

  This would ruin her.

  Look at how easily she offered herself up to a man to be used up like a hand towel?

  Dae felt shame, she felt embarrassment again and she still hated feeling these new emotions period. They were a nuisance. She would have hidden in the room for the rest of her life if it meant he wouldn’t be able to come near her again.

  For the second time in over a week, she cared what somebody else thought of her. It wasn’t enough for her to want to change herself but it was so much the opposite of right that they would have to create another word to accurately describe how wrong it was.

  Iya was the only one who mattered but Dae still was her own person; she didn’t stop being an individual nor did she didn’t act any different because Iya didn’t understand her reasoning. Dae was accepted by Iya as she was.

  Would he do the same? What was she thinking? Dae felt angry at him and herself. She felt like she was going to… to cry and that was strange. Dae didn’t cry, she learned a long time ago that it didn’t matter. It only made it worse. Her jaw clenched at the memories danced in her head. She was only a kid then. Dae let her anger take over the pain she had threatening to split her chest in two.

  Dae heard a knock and jumped out of her squatting on the floor. She searched for something to make her feel better about what she knew was going to happen. Dae unlocked the knob and prepared herself.

  “Dae? It was just the neighbor.” Wondering if Koda had a pack of animals in his condo. Apparently his wolf was loud or hers was loud or both were. He didn’t even notice growling because he was preoccupied…

  Well, he was more than preoccupied; he was lost in her. He wanted to take things slow, as slow as Dae needed to. Then they were alone for the first time in days and she looked so scrumptious. He licked her neck, as an unconscious gesture only one wolf would recognize from its mate.

  Love. God he loved her. It hurt so bad not to be able to touch her. Not always in a sexual way but just hold her hand close to his heart or to rub his face on her neck. Her scent was so strong there and it soothed both man and wolf.

  Wolf hierarchy and urges were ingrained in their DNA. Her wolf knew without being told who they were to each other. If only Dae would stop denying it, stop fighting the things she felt. He scented her panic, her need, her sadness and her overwhelming anger but he couldn’t feel it. It broke his heart to know she refused to share herself with him. To keep a part of oneself secret from a mate was unheard of… but Dae was also unheard of since the Withering.

  Patience, he sighed, he needed it bad. He needed her bad.

  “Dae?” She still hadn’t answered him. He wanted to pop the door open as he had been doing all week but that had been him teasing Dae. Deep down under the irritation, he knew she liked when he teased her. Her scent told him so.

  “Dae, I’m coming in.” Koda said hesitantly after he was met with more silence. He opened the door and found Dae standing –jumping distance from the door– in a fighting stance holding the handle of a sharp object.

  “What are you doing?” Koda said warily.

  “Is it not clear? I’m defending myself.”

  Koda felt like somebody sucker punched him in the gut with a steel pipe. He noticed her eyes were black but the wolf wasn’t in control. He knew this because her wolf would have never thought him a threat or to threaten him as she was doing with what looked like a sharpened screwdriver. She had it poised in front of her tip backwards sharpened edge away from her arm as she stood in a front stance. Her lip curled exposing her lengthy canines and Koda feared she would shift and maul him to death not knowing why.

  She should you bastard.

  He felt like kicking himself. He put his arms up in surrender.

  “From who?” His wolf growled wondering where the threat was but the man knew that Dae thought he was the threat. If only he could kick his own ass.

  Dae laughed dryly. “You. My space is my space, you don’t get that. “

  “I’m sorry–”

  “I’m sooo sure.” Dae snapped. She didn’t care that what he said smelled like the truth.

  “Dae, I promise–”

  “Oh lucky me, you promise! And you believe this means something to me?”

  “I am honor bound by my promises, Dae.”

  That smelled like the truth as well but Dae wasn’t taking any chances. Anymore chances, Dae corrected. “People break their word all the time. Your promises mean shit.”

  “I won’t break my word to you. From now on, I promise not to come into your space uninvited unless it’s necessary. I think you know I’m telling the truth.” Koda said repentantly.

  “How convenient. You have an out clause for when you do break your word.” Dae’s doubtful tone smacked him upside his head with subtly of a crowbar.

  “No, I won’t let you get hurt, or remain hurt because I’m a man of my word.” Koda said adamantly, clearly annoyed at having to reassure Dae of his truthfulness.

  “So you’re out clause is defined clearly as situations where you think I might get hurt or have been hurt.”

  “Yes, that’s what I’m saying.” Koda was exasperated. He folded his arms across his chest wondering what sneaky thing Dae was trying to pull. She hadn’t relaxed her stance a fraction but her eyes were once again liquid gold.

  “Define hurt.”

  “You want me to define hurt?”

  “I want to hear your definition of hurt.”

  “Injury.”

  “What kind of injury?”

  “What does that mean? Injury! You getting hurt!” Koda growled at Dae.

  “So a stubbed toe, a splinter, a paper cut could be classified as the vague ‘injury’ you’re referring to.”

  “Dae, that’s ridiculous!”

  “No, it’s not its valid reasoning.” Dae argued feeling the win almost in her grasp.

  “Ok! I will not invade your ‘personal space’ to prevent you from stubbing your toe, acquiring a splinter, or any for any other non emergency situations.” Koda grumbled.

  Dae felt very satisfied with herself as she shrugged her shoulders and said “Whatever. You come in my space, I cut. Understand?”

  “I understand.” Koda said, not sure why she seemed like she was gloating. Dae relaxed her stance but didn’t put down the screwdriver.

  “Can we talk about before?” Koda asked, wanting to explain himself.

  “No, no. There will be no talking.”

  “Dae, come on, we should talk.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong Koda, that’s something we don’t need to ever discuss. There will be no mention of anything whatsoever from the time Iya left to the time you left this room.”

  “But I haven’t left this room.”

  “You’re going to now. I want to be alone.”

  “Dae–”

  “Alone means just me and no you.” Dae snapped.

  Koda gave her a sad smile and left the room. He’d give her some time alone. Maybe it would help her? He guessed she needed to relax. He closed the door as he left and heard it lock behind him. He was grateful he had shifter hearing because if she tried to sneak out the window…

  An hour or so later, Dae couldn’t remain in the room a moment longer. S
he was so hungry her abdomen felt sore. She left her room and caught Koda closing the front door with four bags in his hand. Four food bags.

  As much as she wanted to stay mad at him, he had the food, which made him her knight in shining take-out.

  “I figured you’d be hungry because I’m starving. I’ll understand if you want to take it in your room.”

  What was it about this man that made her want to do things against her nature? He sounded so apologetic, so remorseful that Dae couldn’t help wanting to let it go. Dae didn’t forgive people for anything; it was the complete opposite of who she was. But when it came to this man, she felt guilty for forcing herself to stay angry at him when she was angrier at herself for a number of reasons.

  Guilt! Another useless emotion she wasn’t used to. Iya had made her feel guilty a few times. It was as unnerving then as it was now.

  Dae wanted them to get back to their usual banter so things would be once again normal. And Dae never really wanted anything from anybody but to be left alone. Dae tried not to read too much in to that. It was only because he was trying to keep Iya safe and for Iya Dae would do whatever she needed to. Iya was the only person Dae met that she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she couldn’t stay mad at. And now there was this mythological creature before her.

  No, no this was only for convenience.

  “No Sasquatch, its fine. How much?”

  Koda growled wearing a most impressive scowl. He did that a lot and Dae thought she liked it too much. She fought her urge to smile. He pulled out trays of food and laid them at the dining room table.

  Dae still felt a little funny being in his condo but it was growing on her. Maybe after this was over she might be somewhat civil to him. He wasn’t all that bad for an egotistical chauvinistic shameless flirt.

  He pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit, so Dae took the chair on the opposite of the table. Koda shook his head; stubborn could be his mate’s first name.

  They ate Tai food in silence, appreciating the quiet they gave each other. Neither of them liked to be disturbed when they were that hungry, in fact they very much appreciated silence during a meal. Dae began to clean the table after they were finished. When Koda tried to help, she narrowed her eyes and growled viciously at him. She didn’t even realize she was behaving like his spouse.

  After Dae was satisfied everything was clean, she took a long shower. She needed the time to think about her next move. They had no classes until Wednesday, so figured she’d have time to draw her foul smelling friends out in the open. But to do that she’d have to go out, possibly to a bar she usually frequented. If the men who tried to grab her were smart, they’d jump at the chance to get her being that for the past week she had barely been out.

  Also, she had to be careful of the Sasquatch and Iya catching a whiff of her plans. They both would prevent her from doing what needed to be done. Dae needed to know why beady-eyed grease man and his partner wanted her. She could wrack her brain from now until the day she died and still not know unless she got the information from the source.

  Dae really couldn’t do anything with Iya or the Sasquatch around period. She needed to give them the slip and there was only one-way to do it without setting off their alarms.

  Eighteen

  It was six excruciating hours until Iya came back with Raj following her like a lovesick puppy dog. Dae wanted to shake her head in frustration. Didn’t Iya just come back from hanging out with Marcus? Dae quieted the growl before it escaped but Koda caught it and raised his brows at her.

  Damn abominable sonar-eared bastard.

  Dae was sitting on the plush carpet trying to act less jumpy. She was too antsy in anticipation; she hoped Iya and the Sasquatch would believe it was because she was going stir-crazy. In part, Dae was going stir-crazy sitting in his condo with no one to dilute the Sasquatch’s scent.

  Dae was thankful Iya and Raj returned; it was going to be so much better now that they were back. Mission Eighty-six the Sidekicks would soon to be operational.

  Dae had been working Koda, talking about how trapped she felt (truth) and how she need to stretch her legs when he questioned her relentless pacing (also truth). Dae did need to stretch her legs but not the way Koda had in mind. He offered to take her to a running park or out to eat in a restaurant. Dae immediately dismissed those notions; the two of them were not going out to places least of all to eat together. Then it would have been like a date.

  Dae nodded her acknowledgment at Raj and gave Iya a strained smile. Koda greeted both Iya and Raj with his usual sociable greetings. Dae really didn’t get why people needed to greet each other ‘hello’ after just having seen each other. Dae found human behaviors strange. Maybe she should have stuck with that psychology class she dropped when Iya decided she no longer liked the professor…

  Iya took note of how far Dae sat from Koda and shook her head. Dae couldn’t have been more obvious if she built a fence around her to keep him away. Iya imagined Dae decorating the fence with spikes, sharpened screw drivers, and having it hooked up to an electrical supply to shock whoever thought they could bypass her first line of defense.

  Iya giggled catching Dae’s attention. Dae glanced at the smirk Iya wore as she sat on the long sofa. Raj sat next to Iya and then they both started making goo-goo eyes at each other.

  “Say you kind fellow, what day is it?” Dae asked Raj in a English accent. Raj looked like he was confused on whether to laugh or answer Dae’s rhetorical question.

  “You are so overdramatic. We weren’t gone that long.” Iya replied to Dae’s obvious Ebenezer Scrooge impression.

  Dae didn’t drop the accent. “That voice tis familiar I think.” Dae squinted. “Iya, be that you? Have you come to bring me news of the world old friend?”

  “Dae, shut up.” Iya rolled her eyes, laughing, while Koda growled. “You’ve only been inside for two hours tops! And why are you both sitting in the dark?” Iya walked over to the window and pulled the curtains open.

  Dae flinched dramatically and ducked into the corner. “The light! It doth burn me!”

  This time Raj joined in Iya’s laughter. Koda still hadn’t stopped growling from before.

  Dae got up and sat back in her spot. “Iya, it was not two hours; it was six hours and 14 minutes.” Dae said not having to feign frustration.

  “My mistake stop-watch-Sally, I’m just surprised the Sasquatch was such poor company. I’m sure he would have found some way to entertain you if you’d let him.”

  It was Dae’s turn to growl. Raj had the sense of mind to not to laugh and Koda grinned shamelessly.

  “Why don’t you ask me how my days been?” Dae said to Iya.

  “Ok, how was your day?” Iya asked knowing already that Dae was going to turn a molehill into a skyscraper built on the tip of Everest.

  “Thank you so much for asking!” Dae said dryly.

  Koda was panicking. Was Dae going to tell Iya about the whole day? No, Dae wouldn’t even talk about it with him. Nope. Uh uh. Ummm…crap.

  He really hoped Dae didn’t, who knows how the half-and-half would react? Koda couldn’t deny his ill advised behavior this morning. If Iya didn’t flip, she would most definitely want to leave and Dae would be overjoyed at getting what she thought she wanted. And what would Koda do? Spend his days and nights missing Dae’s scent, her voice –he’d spend all his time missing her period. His heart clenched.

  “This has been my day: I talk, the Sasquatch growled. I talk some more, he growls some more. Me talk talking, him growl growling. He growled at everything I said! At one point, I actually thought I understood it for some kind of crude language. But then I realized that was just crazy because why would he say that he would bite my nose if he didn’t think I would maul him to death?”

  Koda choked and Raj’s eyes widened before he saw the subtle shake of Koda’s head. Koda was telling Raj not to say anything and Raj couldn’t figure out why. Koda was overjoyed Dae didn’t say anything about what almost happe
ned. That had to be a good sign. Right?

  “Your day was that bad?” Iya asked hiding her amusement.

  “You have no idea.” Yes, the way Dae made it sound was a tad dramatic but Dae needed to work with what she had. Koda did growl every time she complained and refused his suggestions. The growls did mean something to her but that was because she was bat-shit crazy. Iya didn’t know that and with any luck Iya would assume that Dae was over exaggerating because of her need to go out.

  Iya got distracted and started flirtatiously looking at Raj. Maybe Dae could use that to her advantage… “So how was your day?”

  “You just told her.” Koda remarked.

  “Ha ha bad pun, like I haven’t heard that a thousand times in my life.” Dae rolled her eyes at the smirking Sasquatch. What the hell did he have to be so happy about? Oh, that’s right; he didn’t know he was going to get left all by his lonesome.

  Dae was well on her way to her own smirk when Iya said, “It was fun, me and Raj hung out–”

  “You and Raj? Wasn’t today all about making Iya a happy women?” Dae said in suspicion. Iya wasn’t one to say one thing and do another. Besides, Dae scented the truth of what she said earlier and the truth of what she said now. On the other hand, Dae should have been overjoyed that by some divine intervention, Marcus messed up. Finally! That brought Marcus one-step closer to being dis-missed. Dae wanted to stand up and do a football touchdown dance but thought better of it.

  This was not the only victory to be achieved this day.

  “Well, I was going to go hang with him but he missed out. Didn’t pick up when I called and didn’t even call back. So Raj offered to keep me company.” Iya smiled at Raj.

  Dae scented Iya’s disappointment and her sadness. Dae went from stopping herself from dancing on the table to stopping herself from ripping the skin from Marcus’s bones in 1.3 seconds.