She was going to be a part of this town today, whether her mother approved or not. She didn’t deserve to be kept in the dark, and it was about time she started to live her life on her own terms.
She let her eyes scan the storefronts, and when they were drawn to a rustic-looking wooden building with a big sign that read SHIFTER’S BLISS, she knew she had found the place she wanted to go.
She had been aware of the shifter packs that had roamed Bridge Hollow for over a century, and she had always done her best not to give them too much time in her brain. She always had a weird kind of fascination with them, though, and she thought it must have come from the fact that her mother had labeled them as something forbidden, like she had most things.
Elizabeth had grown up so sheltered. She had been deprived of a normal childhood, but now, she was an adult and the mask of everything her mother saying being perfect and right was beginning to slip. She saw how wrong her mother could be, and she was beginning to realize that she had been kept away from the world not out of fear of being discovered but because of her mother’s fear of losing her.
She sighed and looked over her shoulder; it was almost as if she could feel someone watching her. As if her mother had followed her there and was watching and waiting in the shadows, ready to spring out and drag her back out to the cottage in the forest.
“Don’t be so stupid,” Elizabeth coached herself. “What is she going to do? You’re a grown ass woman.”
She laughed it off and then braced herself to be brave.
She had never set foot in a bar before, but there was a first time for everything. And she couldn’t think of a more perfect day than when the Bridge Hollow Supernatural Fair was in full swing, and locals and tourists alike were celebrating and going wild.
She pushed the door open and the smell of smoke and stale booze hit her. She smiled and waited a moment as she took in the scene ahead of her.
The room was dark and full. It wasn’t even 6pm, but it looked as if the whole of Bridge Hollow had finished the workweek early and were letting their hair down. Women danced on a long, wooden bar that ran across the center of a room, and a band was setting up on a stage toward the back of the building. The noise level was high, and the energy was electric. It was like an assault on her magical senses; she felt herself begin to absorb little parts of each person in the room, and it instantly made her more awake and ready for action.
She crossed the room slowly, making her way to the main section of the bar, trying her best not to gawk at the strong, confident and sexy women dancing and grinding away on the counter. One of them hooked a stockinged leg around a beam and some of the men in the crowd whooped and cheered.
“All right, all right,” a man with a mop slung over his shoulder said as he raced back behind the counter and held out his hand to help the woman down. “That’s enough, fellas. And you…” He winked at the girl, and she laughed and wandered back to the group of girls she was drinking with.
Elizabeth’s eyes were wide, and she knew her eyebrows would be sliding right up to the top of her head, but it wasn’t out of fear or shock, she was loving it. The thought of being somewhere like this even a few weeks before would have terrified her, but for some reason, now she felt completely at ease and ready to discover what this kind of lifestyle was all about.
She pulled out a barstool and sat down before she folding her hands and placed them on the counter. There were so many people hollering at the staff and they all looked as if they had been in there for a good while. Their words were beginning to slur and their eyes were glazed.
Elizabeth felt a pang of anger as she thought of what her mother must have done to her the evening before. Casting a spell on her own daughter and not being honest about it? Why would she do such a thing?
The barman slowly made his way around to Elizabeth and leaned across and smiled.
“What can I get you?” he asked her. She noticed he had kind eyes, but there was something inside of him. Something animal-like.
She shivered as she realized she could see a bear lurking somewhere beneath his skin. He was a shifter.
“Can I get two straight-up vodkas,” she smiled.
He laughed and nodded his head.
“You in town for the festival too?” he asked as he grabbed two glasses and cracked some ice into them.
Elizabeth instinctively went to say no, but then realized that he obviously didn’t recognize her. All those years hiding away and never setting foot in a place like this had meant most people in town were oblivious to who she was.
“Yes,” she nodded slowly. “It’s pretty wild.”
He raised his eyebrows and laughed.
“It always is,” he agreed. “But this year seems more so, as if everyone is determined to make it count.”
As he said the words, a sadness cross over him, and Elizabeth absorbed a rush of his mood. He was worried.
She leaned in a little closer.
“Make it count?” she asked. Her eyes locked on his, and she willed him to tell her.
Often, when speaking with humans, she was able to get inside their head and urge them to open up, but this man was different. She could sense the magic and animal inside of him, and he wasn’t going to be swayed easily.
He passed her both glasses and then put the check in front of her.
“Well, I sure hope you enjoy yourself here in our little town,” he grinned. “It’s bound to be eventful.”
He moved away, and Elizabeth reached into her purse to grasp for her cash. She took out a couple bills and laid them on top of the bill, and then she reached up and started to undo her coat. She could feel beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
She undid the tie at her waist and pulled the coat off, so it cushioned her back, and then she sipped her drink.
It was strong and hit her quickly, and for a moment, she thought that that was the reason she was burning up and unable to cool down, but she was suddenly aware of a distinct feeling coming from behind her. The feeling of being watched and the sensation she had experienced when she had been in the crowd at the tour sale…
She swallowed and clutched the glass tightly.
She felt the heat of fire licking her skin and she closed her eyes. It was hot and powerful, but it was also delicious. It felt like a hot stone being passed over her bones, like a massage at a spa, and she felt herself relax into it, as if she were being bewitched again.
A big, strong-looking hand slammed down on the bar in front of her and as soon as she saw it, she knew who it belonged to.
She slowly looked to the left and when she found him standing so close to her, she could barely breathe.
It was him.
The man from the fair. The mysterious stranger, but one she was sure she had seen or met somewhere before.
His eyes glinted with an orange tinge, and he smiled a wicked smile at her that caught her off guard.
“Well, well, well,” he said with a smirk, looking down at her as if he wanted to devour her. “Aren’t you interesting…”
Elizabeth sat back in her seat slightly and looked him up and down. He was so incredibly handsome. He was tall and muscular, with dark eyes and jet black hair, he was well-dressed and groomed, and when her eyes settled on his wrist and she saw his watch, it broke what her memory had been hiding, and the details came racing back to her.
Her breath caught in her throat.
“I saw you in the coffee house…,” she whispered.
His eyes seemed to light up, and he nodded his head slowly.
“But… How…?” She was so confused.
She had only seen this man for a matter of moments, but as the memory came back to her, and she broke the spell her mother had cast over her, she remembered the feeling she had experienced. The one of intensity, of intrigue, and of longing. She felt as if he had truly seen her, and she had noticed something about him. The way he seemed to leave a scorch mark where he had been standing. The way he had magic in his veins just like s
he did.
“Tell me what you are…,” the man said.
His eyes were boring into her, and every single nerve ending in her body was fizzling with electricity. Her heart raged away beneath her skin, and she could barely breathe. He was doing something to her, just by looking at her. He was casting a spell all his own, and it was taking her so off guard she didn’t know how to respond.
“Tell me what you are,” she said as her eyes scanned him.
Much like she could see things within the man serving behind the bar, she could see something within this stranger too. But his was much stronger; something more powerful and frightening.
He shook his head slowly.
“I asked you first.” There was a playfulness in his voice, which made her smile, and she found herself pushing a strand of hair behind her ear flirtatiously.
She raised her glass to her lips and sipped, and the fire kept on hitting her. The heat from his body was so harsh and intense, it was making her breathing quicken and her mind spin.
He motioned to the barman, who came quickly to serve him. Elizabeth watched as they greeted each other warmly, and he had a beer placed down in front of him within seconds.
“A friend?” she asked.
The man shrugged.
“I suppose he is, yes,” he half-laughed.
She took another sip of her drink to boost her confidence, and then held out her hand and waited for him to turn to look at her. It was as if he knew she was there and waiting, and when he looked back to her and his eyes caught sight of her hand, he reached out and grasped it with his big, strong grip.
The heat within his palm could have shocked her if she hadn’t been expecting it, but she could already feel the powerful energy oozing out of him, and his aura was red fire and golden blaze.
“Elizabeth,” she said as she shook his hand.
“Braxton,” he said, a smile dancing across his lips.
They stood staring at each other, not once breaking eye contact, and Elizabeth knew right away that she was completely screwed.
9.
When Braxton had walked into Shifter’s Bliss, he had been hoping to catch sight of her again, but when his eyes actually landed on her, sitting at the bar, he couldn’t have been prepared for the way his heart danced.
Whatever this girl was, she was radiating magical energy.
He had never seen anything like it before, and he had certainly never found another in Bridge Hollow. He was so used to being alone on the mountain, and when he had come to town, he had been instantly turned off at how brash and rude most of the human’s had been. But when he had laid eyes on this girl… He had felt something unique.
He could tell she was human but there was something else about her.
She possessed a power.
A power that was calling to him, making him yearn for her. He felt as if he had been waiting for something his entire life, and the moment he had seen her, suddenly, the search was over.
It had shocked him. And that is why he had disappeared from the coffee house where she was sitting as fast as he could. But ever since, he had done nothing but think of her. He had constantly wondered where she was, of what she was doing… If she remembered him and if her heart called out to him as well.
She looked so innocent and vulnerable sitting there now, and he knew the power he had inside of himself could rip her to pieces, but there was a strong, protective edge coming out of him, one that had laid dormant for years. He didn’t truly know if it had ever come to the surface… But here it was, working its way forward, and now, he knew he would never rest until he knew everything about her.
Even his mission to protect the town was falling into insignificance compared to her. She had completely overtaken his thoughts and goals. He had to know everything about her.
He looked down at her as she sipped her drink and felt his fire pulse and his cock harden. She was so sexy… So demure, and completely unaware of the power she possessed over him.
Hey eyes flicked up to meet his, and it sent his heart hammering against his ribcage. He smiled and leaned in a little closer.
“What brings you to Bridge Hollow?” he asked.
Her eyes seemed to come alive, and she cocked her head to the side.
“I live here,” she said.
And now, he really was intrigued.
He had come down from the mountain in the past, but he had never seen this woman before. He would remember it, for sure. He smiled at her and then furrowed his brow.
“Are you sure?” he asked with a cocky grin.
“Pretty sure,” she laughed. “And I suppose I should ask you the same thing.”
“I also live here,” he said.
She shrugged and took a sip of her drink, then smiled as she looked away, to the back of the room where the band was doing their soundcheck.
The bar was getting busier, but luckily for him, they were moving away from the bar and closer to the stage, and he was finding that he could really take her all in and memorize each little feature of her perfect face.
He loved the way her skin was so clear and her cheeks rosy, the way her lips were like buds, like a perfect tulip, and pursed just enough to make him think naughty things. She was so quiet and unassuming to everyone else in the room, and yet, to him, she was screaming loud and clear. He couldn’t not see her. It was like she radiated an intense light guiding him home.
“Where do you live?” he asked, trying not to sound too pushy.
“Just off Main Street, actually,” she answered. “What about you?”
Two men finished paying at the bar and when they moved toward the stage, they left a stool behind. Braxton reached out and took hold of it and slid it closer to Elizabeth’s, so he could sit.
“I don’t live on Main Street,” he said. “But I’m down here while the fair is on.”
“Down here?” she said with a raised brow. “And where exactly is up there?” She had a playful look on her face that was enticing him to tease.
“If I was into cheesy pick-up lines, I guess I could say heaven…,” he offered with a cringe and then a roar of laughter.
He was relieved when she laughed too and slapped him jokingly on the shoulder.
“Terrible,” she said as she shook her head. “Truly terrible.”
“A man likes to try,” he sighed as he raised his bottle to his lips and took a swig.
Though he was completely enchanted by her presence and beauty, he also found that she was easy to be around, and their conversation was flowing effortlessly.
He looked down at her again and smiled when he saw she was already looking at him. She blushed a little and brushed another strand of hair behind her ear nervously.
She was so goddam cute.
What a surprise she was.
She drained her glass and left it in front of her. She paused for a moment, as if she were contemplating ordering another, but then thought better of it.
She rose slowly to her feet and smiled at him again.
“You’re not leaving?” he said as she took hold of her coat and slipped it on over her shoulders.
“I’m afraid if I’m out after seven, all my clothes turn to rags and I’ll have to get home by pumpkin,” she teased. “But it was lovely speaking with you.”
She smiled, and he reached out and rested his hand on top of her arm gently. When he touched her again, he felt a pulse of excitement rush from him into her, and when she gasped and stepped back, he knew she had felt it too.
He rose to his feet and took a step closer.
“What are you?” he asked her again, his eyes alight with intrigue.
She nervously stepped back and shook her head before she smiled and began to walk backward toward the exit, not once letting her eyes leave his.
She smiled at him knowingly, as if she had all the answers and was going to enjoy stringing him along.
But what Braxton would never admit was, he would enjoy it too. How could he not? She was fantastic…
>
She stopped when she reached the door and raised her hand in a meek little wave and then, she turned and disappeared into the night.
With her went his sense of fun and play, but the memory lingered with him as he sat and finished his beer.
He had seen her twice now, and both times had felt like life-changing experiences.
Whoever this girl was, she was connected to him and his destiny. He could feel it.
10.
Elizabeth sat in the window seat of her apartment and looked out across Main Street. She hadn’t left home since the night in the bar, and now, a full thirty-six hours later, her curiosity was peaking and she was beginning to feel stir crazy.
Braxton.
Since she had seen him that night, he had constantly played on her mind.
Her mother had been calling her, but Elizabeth hadn’t answered the phone. She had texted her a few times to let her know she was all right and not to worry, that she was caught up in a lot of work and would be in touch once it was out of the way. But the truth was, she couldn’t bring herself to speak to her mother. She was confused and angry, and needed to figure out why her mother had placed the spell on her to make her forget him.
Braxton was hot.
That much was abundantly clear. But there was something else about him that she had learned that night in Shifter’s Bliss when he had sat with her.
She had already suspected that he was a shifter, but she hadn’t been able to make out his animal. She felt his heat and she could sense the beast in him, but unlike the others, she couldn’t see a bear or a wolf lurking beneath his skin.
He seemed to be hiding something much darker. Something so powerful and frightening and it was so well hidden that even she couldn’t see it.
At least, she couldn’t see until he dropped his guard.
When he had told his terrible pick-up line, he must have been momentarily nervous, and in that split second, Elizabeth was sure she could see the beast under his skin.
At first, she thought it was a lizard. She could make out scales and an elongated face, but the more she thought about it, the more the features began to form in her mind’s eye.
Bridge Hollow Shifters: The Complete Collection Page 46
