Nic

by Jordan Summers

  “Terrific,” Mindy muttered.

  She poked her head in the hall to see what the hybrid was up to. A gentle breeze brushed her face. The back door was wide open and the hybrid was gone.

  “How did you...” Mindy raced down the hall and ran out into the yard. She scanned the tree line, but there was no sign of him.

  Mindy walked back into the house and stopped to examine the door. The glass and the frame appeared to be intact. Everything looked perfectly normal. Maybe she’d forgotten to close it properly and it had blown open? It was the only explanation that made any sense. It was either that or the hybrid had figured out how to turn a knob.

  Her gaze swept the yard one final time, then she closed the door and locked it. Mindy didn’t have time to go looking for him in the woods. Nic would be here any minute.

  Mindy took a quick shower and put some makeup on, then slipped Izzy’s sweater over her head. She tried on three pairs of jeans, giving each one the butt check in the mirror. None of them passed. She grabbed a pair of Izzy’s and pulled them on. She should’ve known they’d be perfect.

  She’d just tugged her shoes on when the doorbell rang. Mindy took a deep breath and glanced one last time in the mirror to check her appearance. It shouldn’t have been so important, but she wanted to look nice for Nic.

  “You look fine,” she muttered, then wandered into the living room.

  Nic was early.

  Eagerness is a good sign. Isn’t it?

  Mindy planted a smile on her face and pulled the door open. Her grin faded as she came face to face with Marco Faretti. Startled, she stepped back. Shock quickly turned to fear.

  “What are you doing here, Marco?” She glanced up the road, hoping to spot Nic’s truck in the distance.

  “I came here to finish our conversation without being interrupted,” he said.

  Mindy’s knuckles whitened from holding the door so tight. “Now’s not a good time.”

  Marco’s gaze started at her head and slowly worked its way down before reversing direction. “You going out? If you’re heading to Sticks, maybe I’ll see you there? We never did finish that drink.”

  Mindy shook her head. “I’m not going out,” she said. “And I’m definitely not going back to that bar.”

  As was his habit, he crowded her with his body. “Why not? I thought you had a good time.”

  Scared, Mindy held her ground. “I think we remember last night differently,” she said. “You need to go. I don’t appreciate being stalked and I’m expecting company any minute.”

  Marco’s amber eyes narrowed. “Is it that wolf from the Fortier estate?”

  Wolf? Was that some kind of slang for a male slut? Mindy didn’t keep up with modern slang, so she wasn’t sure.

  “I assume you’re talking about Nic,” she said.

  “Is that his name?” His lip curled in disgust. Before she could respond, he continued, “I guess you are like your friend Celina after all. You know where to find me once he kicks you to the curb.” Marco dropped down a step and his nose wrinkled. “Is Celina here?”

  “No. Why?”

  “Thought I smelled her,” he said.

  Mindy inhaled, but didn’t smell anything other than the roast. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Marco poked his head in the door and dragged air into his lungs.

  “What are you doing? I told you she wasn’t here,” she said. “You need to leave. Now!”

  He scowled at her and walked to his car. He changed direction at the last second and slipped behind her house. Fear pulsed inside of her. What was he doing?

  “I mean it, Marco,” she shouted. “If you don’t leave this second, I’m calling the police!”

  At first, Mindy didn’t think that he’d heard her, then she saw him sprint across the yard. His face was pale and his wide amber eyes kept scanning the tree line. It was a relief to see that he was taking her threat seriously.

  Marco didn’t stop watching the woods until he was behind the wheel. Gravel flew as he tore out of her driveway.

  Mindy watched him leave. It wasn’t until he was out of sight that she was finally able to let go of the front door.

  * * * * *

  Nic passed the pup on the road. There was only one place he could be coming from. Fear demolished his nervousness. He needed to get to Mindy. Make sure she was okay. He stomped down hard on the gas. Nic’s truck roared as he raced down the road.

  He found the address and hurried into the driveway. Nic threw his truck into park and jumped out, not bothering to turn it off. He leapt up her front stairs and pounded on the door.

  “Marco, I told you to leave,” Mindy shouted.

  “It’s not Marco,” Nic rumbled.

  “Nic?” Mindy opened the door. Her pale face and trembling hands said all he needed to know. “Sorry, I thought you were someone else.”

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  Nic didn’t wait for her to answer. He simply pulled her into his arms and ran his hands over her body. He needed to see for himself that she was unharmed. What was the pup doing here? How had he found out where she lived?

  She allowed him to comfort her for a minute, then Mindy slowly moved away. The awkwardness that had been there earlier in the day returned.

  Nic cleared his throat. “I’ll need the keys to your car. You still want me to take a look at it, right?”

  “Yes, of course.” Mindy lifted the keys off the hook beside the door. “Here.” She handed the key ring to him.

  “It won’t take long,” he said.

  “Take your time,” Mindy said. “I was just finishing up the side dishes for dinner. Would you like to stay? I made enough for two.”

  She was okay. He’d seen so with his own eyes. He should fix her car and leave, but Nic didn’t want to go. He wanted to spend more time with her.

  “Sure,” he said.

  “Great.” She smiled, and his stomach fluttered.

  Nic walked back to his truck. He could feel Mindy’s eyes on him. Everywhere she looked, a wave of heat followed. He flexed his hands and turned off his engine before grabbing his toolbox. Twenty minutes later, he’d finished the minor adjustment to get rid of the pinging and had her car humming once more.

  He dropped the hood and was walking back to his truck to put his toolbox inside when he caught a strange scent wafting on the air. Nic placed the toolbox on the seat and slowly shut the door. He raised his head and carefully smelled the area around him.

  What was that?

  Nic had never smelled anything like it. He stepped away from his truck and walked into the yard. The scent grew fainter. Nic frowned and switched direction. The breeze brought the odor again. This time stronger. He scanned the trees. Nothing moved. The hair on Nic’s neck rose and the wolf inside him surfaced.

  The door opened. “Are you done?” Mindy asked.

  Nic nodded, but continued to stare at the woods.

  “What is it?” Mindy stepped out of the house onto the porch.

  “It’s nothing,” Nic said.

  “Marco isn’t back. Is he?” Her voice quivered.

  Nic turned away from the woods. “No.” He shook his head. “He’s not around. You don’t have to worry.”

  The relief on her beautiful face was palpable. “Good,” she said. “I just wanted to let you know that dinner is ready.”

  “I’ll be right in,” Nic said. “Just need to get something out of my truck.”

  Mindy nodded and walked back into the house.

  Nic waited until she was inside, then scented the woods once more. The odd odor was gone, but its absence didn’t alleviate his unease. If anything, it made it worse.

  As part of the Moonlight Kin, there weren’t many scents he couldn’t identify. He rubbed the back of his neck and walked to the house. The fact that he couldn’t place this one worried him.

  * * * * *

  Chapter Twelve

  The second he stepped through the door into the living room, chao
s erupted. Squawks, hisses, and barks collided in a glass-shattering cacophony. Nic was immediately hit with sensory overload.

  Mindy’s ranch-style house was neat and clean. Nic doubted a human would detect the various scents, but to a Were it was like taking a stroll through a zoo after a sinus rinse. So many scents. Too many. Including an unusual one that escaped him.

  He held his hands over his sensitive ears and his eyes watered as he slowly looked around. Various types of animals were scattered throughout the cozy living room.

  “Hush!” Mindy said. “What’s wrong with you guys? Behave, we have company.” She turned to Nic. “I’m sorry. They don’t normally act like this. Have a seat while I check on dinner.” She pointed to the rose-colored couch under the window.

  Nic wasn’t surprised by the uproar. A predator was in their midst and they didn’t like it one bit. Between the scents and the noise, Nic couldn’t hear himself think. The animals were making him edgy.

  Still, he found himself sitting down. Nic told himself it was to be polite, but he was only lying to himself.

  “Can I get you a drink?” She walked into what he presumed was the kitchen.

  “I could use a beer.” It was an understatement.

  A one-eyed cat took one sniff of him and hissed. Its orange fur rose on its back and its tail straightened as it prepared to attack.

  Nic bared his teeth and growled low in his chest. The cat snarled and ran into the corner under a side table.

  Mindy’s three-legged poodle showed no fear at all when it approached. It licked his jeans and whirled around to show him its butt, then proceeded to hump his leg. Nic tried to shake the dog off, but it was determined to entice him, since it was in heat. He groaned. This was a nightmare.

  There was another loud squawk. Nic flinched and looked over at the cage hanging from a chain attached to the ceiling. A gray parrot cocked its head to look at him, then said, “Nice doggy.” The comment was followed by a string of expletives that would shame a fleet of intoxicated sailors.

  Movement in the corner of his eye drew his gaze away from the foul-mouthed feathered menace. A green, tailless lizard marched across the couch toward him. When it got close, it did a strange rocking dance that Nic was sure was meant to intimidate him.

  He had to leave. This was too much. Nic shook the randy poodle off his leg and stood. Mindy came into the room as he was about to make his way to the front door. She was carrying two beers.

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but he had to go. “What is all this?” The question surprised them both.

  Mindy set the beers on the coffee table, then walked over to pick up the cat cowering in the corner. “They’re strays.” She stroked the feline. “This is Hannibal. I named him that because he constantly kills things and presents the bodies to me.” She pointed to the poodle. “That’s Tart. She humps anything that moves.”

  “Go to your kennel.” She herded the dog into a back room and shut the door, then walked back into the living room. “Now that her wounds are healed, I plan to get her fixed. Her owners abused her. It took me two months just to get her to the point where I could pet her without her flinching.”

  Nic looked at the parrot, who continued his foul-mouthed tirade.

  “That’s Perry. I’m pretty sure he has Tourette’s syndrome,” Mindy said.

  It took Nic a second to register what she’d said. When he did, he threw his head back and laughed. “Tourette’s?”

  Mindy had the grace to look embarrassed. “It’s not out of the realm of possibility. Animals tend to have a lot of the same issues that humans have. They have feelings. They dream. They have worth, though a lot of people don’t believe so.”

  The flutter in Nic’s chest turned into a full-on drumbeat. He rubbed the spot and wished more than anything that Mindy wasn’t human. Her heart obviously held a lot of love for her menagerie. He could see it in the way she looked at them, the way she spoke about them. No doubt her capacity to love would extend to any relationship she had.

  Longing, deep and fierce tugged at him. He had to get away from this line of thinking. It would only end in heartache and disappointment. He glanced at the lizard. “What about him? What’s his story?”

  Mindy scratched Hannibal under the chin. “That’s George. He had an unfortunate accident that involved Hannibal.” The cat purred at the mention of its name. “But they’re friends now. Mostly.”

  “Are you keeping them for any particular reason?” he asked. It was normal for humans to have pets, but this was more than that.

  Mindy frowned. “I don’t understand the question.”

  “Why are they here?” he asked.

  “Because they had nowhere else to go, and with Isabel gone there’s even more room for them to roam,” she said.

  Of course she did. Nic sank back down on the couch. “Who’s Isabel?” She was probably the animal scent he couldn’t place.

  Mindy handed him a beer, then sat in the chair across from him. Hannibal settled on her lap, but Nic noticed the cat didn’t take its good eye off him.

  “My sister.”

  “I’m sorry. Is she dead?” he asked as delicately as he could. He didn’t want to dredge up painful memories.

  Mindy laughed. “No, she’s just-” she paused as she searched for the right word, “-eccentric. She ran off to New Orleans a few weeks ago to find herself.” Mindy rolled her eyes. “Or something like that.”

  “Ah.” Nic could tell there was more to the story, but he didn’t press. “So how did this all start?”

  “As you know, I work at the animal clinic in Breakbend,” she said. “I’m also a full-time student at Clarkston Greenburg University. I’ll finish at the end of this year.” Mindy took a sip of her beer.

  “What’s your major?” he asked.

  “Veterinary medicine. I prefer to work with animals. People can be confusing,” she said, then sucked in her cheeks, as if doing so would draw the admission back inside her mouth.

  Her ambition was admirable and her love of strays enduring. Thus far, the only flaw he’d found was her humanity.

  “I’m surprised you found time to go out to the bar with that kind of schedule,” he said.

  Mindy brushed her shoulder-length hair back and suddenly looked uncomfortable. “I normally don’t. Anytime I have free time, it’s spent studying.”

  Nic couldn’t smell her wonderful scent over her collection of critters, so he couldn’t tell if she’d lied. “What brought you to Sticks?” he asked, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.

  What if she knows what he is? What if the innocent act is just that—an act?

  Mindy’s brown gaze slipped away and she stopped petting the cat. “About the other night...I should apologize. I’m not normally like that. I’m sorry if I—” She paused. “Gave you the wrong impression.”

  Good to know, Nic thought. His relief was palpable, but she still hadn’t answered his question. “Have you ever been to the bar before?”

  Pink blossomed in her cheeks and spread down her neck. “No,” she said. “A good friend told me about it.”

  Nic’s brow rose. “Some friend,” he chided, his voice harsher than he’d intended.

  Mindy’s eyes widened in alarm, then her gaze locked on him. “It’s not like that. Celina is a good friend. She warned me not to go.”

  “But you went anyway?” He made it a question.

  Mindy stiffened in her seat. “I’m twenty-five. I’m old enough to make my own decisions.”

  Nic held up his hands. “Darlin’, you’ll get no argument from me.” Images of their carnal encounter flashed through his mind. Nic’s body responded in an instant. He put his beer down and shot to his feet. “I forgot to check something in your car.” Self-preservation drove him to the door.

  “I’ll set the table while you do that.” Her voice petered out and she looked embarrassed.

  “Sounds good,” he said. “I’ll
be right back.” Nic stepped outside. He hated that he’d made Mindy feel uncomfortable in her own home. It seemed like every time he opened his mouth, stupid came out.

  He mentally cursed, then strode across the lawn toward her car. Nic fiddled around with the wires for ten minutes. Long enough for him to pull himself together, then he slowly walked back to the house.

  Mindy wasn’t in the living room and neither was her cat. She’d covered Perry’s cage with a sheet, which quieted him down. George sat in an aquarium tucked in the corner that Nic hadn’t noticed when he’d first come into her home.

  “I’m in here,” she said. “Did you fix it?”

  “Fix what?” Nic asked, forgetting that he was supposed to be out checking something on her car. The house smelled like beef, along with the alluring scent of Mindy. He followed the sound of her voice into a small room off her kitchen.

  Candles flickered on the table between two blue placemats. She’d positioned a roast at one end and potatoes and a salad at the other. His beer was sitting next to the roast.

  “Take a seat,” she said. “I hope you’re not a vegetarian.”

  The thought made him smile. She had no idea what a carnivore he could be. “Smells good.”

  * * * * *

  Mindy’s hands shook as she passed the knife to Nic. “You want to do the honors?” She hated that she was so nervous.

  He didn’t hesitate. Nic took the butcher knife and quickly carved the roast. He lifted a couple of slices and placed them on her plate.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  Mindy was still having a hard time believing that he was really in her house. She hadn’t expected to ever see him again, but she was grateful that she did. It proved that she hadn’t been wrong about their connection. There was something simmering between them. Something elusive, but tangible nonetheless.

  Nic served himself, then waited for her to pass the vegetables. He didn’t take many. The roast covered much of his plate.

  “Can we start over?” she asked. “I know that’s kind of a weird request, considering everything that’s transpired, but I’d really like to begin again.”