Confusion turned to anger and determination. I’m going to get to you, he thought. You will be mine.
He tried to break through again and again, but his energy depleted with each effort, until he felt weak and lightheaded. Being in the pool suddenly didn’t seem like such a good idea.
He turned onto his side and did a few laps before he climbed out. Gooseflesh rose on his naked skin in the coolness of the morning. His gills sealed shut and the webs disappeared from his fingers and toes. Any thoughts of his mate were pushed away and the concerns of the day filled his mind. He had a list of things to do before his shift started and he wanted to get them done so he could focus on his job. Once all that was done and he was alone, he could try to find her again.
He stretched the muscles he’d worked out, and then headed toward the house. Giggles floated over to him from an open window across the backyard. He glanced up and gave a wave to the neighbor gazing at him, with lust in her sapphire eyes. Brent blew her a kiss before striding into the house stark naked, with the gentle touch of the air sending tingles across his skin. He could feel a new strength filling him. His stomach rumbled with need. With a grin, he shut the doors behind him.
“Oh for Pete’s sake, put some clothes on,” Tor growled. He stood at the kitchen counter, mixing something in a large bowl.
“Good morning to you too. I don’t like to swim in trunks. It deprives my cock and balls of freedom. You know that.” Brent grinned and snatched an apple from a plate on the dining table. “Is Fletch up yet?”
Tor nodded. “Yeah. The girl that you guys brought home left a few minutes ago. How was it last night? You okay? You don’t look like you had a good night.”
Brent stopped and stared. Was he that easy to read? He shook his head. “Do you ever…” He stopped, licked his lips, and started again. “I mean, did you ever feel like you’d never find Louisa? That everything you were doing was just routine?”
Heat flared on his face and through his chest. His ears tingled and heated in embarrassment as he waited for the answer. The seconds ticked by, the silence stretching out until it became unbearable. Unable to take it anymore he shook his head and headed toward the stairs. “Sorry, never mind. You don’t need to answer that.”
Tor held up his hand. “No, I do. That’s exactly how I felt before I found Louisa. Nothing was good enough, no sexual encounter satisfying enough. I was just left feeling empty and made of ice.” He paused. “Hey, Brent. I think you’re going into your mating time early.”
Brent slowly turned around and stared. Finally, there was an explanation for what he was going through. “Yeah, that’s exactly it.”
Tor came around the island and gave Brent’s shoulder a squeeze before turning it into a noogie. “Aw, our wittle Brent,” he teased. “Brent is growing up, wanting a mate. Don’t worry, you’ll find her.” He flashed a grin. “You’ll just have to use your hand until then.”
Brent jerked away and smoothed back his hair. “Watch it. And yeah, I will find her.”
Fletch stumbled into the room, scratching his chest, with only his boxers and one sock on. His red hair stood on end. He gave a large yawn and smacked his lips. “What’s for breakfast? I’m starving.”
Brent looked at Tor and laughed. “And here I thought I had a bottomless pit for a stomach. I’ll go shower. You want to give his sleepiness his breakfast? I’m sure he’ll give you all the juicy details of last night.”
Brent rushed up to his bedroom, stripped the bed, and stuffed the sheets into his hamper, which was already overflowing. He made a mental note to do his laundry sometime today, as long as Fletch or Tor didn’t hog the machine first.
Once he was clean and dried off, he got dressed and groaned when he felt the hole in the sole of his sneakers. He would have to get a new pair. “Hey Fletch!” he shouted. “We have to go shoe shopping!”
Brent’s stomach grumbled for more food. He headed down to the kitchen and hoped Fletch and Tor hadn’t eaten everything. Today was really looking up. He knew what was wrong with him and now he just had to put together a plan. She would be his—whoever she was—no ifs, ands or buts. After all, a water dragon on the path to his mate is unstoppable. Water is the most powerful element. Everyone knew that.
Chapter Two
Carissa gasped as she awakened. Her skin tingled as energy ghosted over her flesh in pinpricks and sharp pinches. She struggled to take in as much air as possible but it wasn’t enough. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as if trying to escape. The room felt too open. She felt eyes watching her from the darkened corners. Pain thudded in a spot over her brow. She felt bruised and beaten, with dents in her mental walls. One minute she had been dreaming about being in a private spa, being massaged by Daniel Craig, and the next she’d felt something or someone else lurking at the periphery of her dream, watching her.
Deep inside of her, the wolf whined to be let out. It tore at the delicate cage that kept it captive, causing sharp lines of fire to course through her chest and stomach.
She closed her eyes and focused on her meditation images: forests, rivers, trees, fields of jasmine and lavender. With each breath, she regained some stability, and yet traces of coolness slithered across her skin.
The echo of a powerful shifter drifted through the room. The scent of rain and sea and river, with just a hint of something reptilian hung in the air. She inhaled the unique perfume and memorized it to mull over later.
First things first. She had to make sure there wasn’t really an intruder in her home. Carissa threw back the covers and strode about the room. Crisp, cold air raised goose pimples on her skin. The hairs on her arm drifted on the icy breeze as she wandered around her small rental home. No evidence of a break-in, but that didn’t surprise her. It didn’t feel as though her physical personal space had been breached. It was more like her mind had done battle with someone or something. She reached out, sensing her mental shields, probing each nick and dent with delicate touches. She hissed as she felt each scratch and indentation. Someone had tried to get past her shields. Had someone been testing her? She couldn’t imagine who would want to do that. She’d done no harm to anyone—at least that she knew of—and lived a quiet existence in Shadow Bay.
“Curious,” the wolf whispered in her mind. It brought with it the balancing forces of earth, wood, and the moon. The gentle glide of fur under her skin settled her down some, but she was still jittery.
“What was that?” she asked her lupine counterpart.
“Something big,” the wolf murmured. “Smells like water. Not sure.”
Her stomach felt queasy at the wolf’s answer. A sound made her jump, but it was just the refrigerator making its usual pinging noises.
She went through her morning routine with wariness, checking each corner, not closing the door during her shower, and doing another check of the house before she left. She parked her car and started to walk to the Crescent Moon to get breakfast for herself and her business partners, Anna and Jezebel. With food in hand, she headed to Scentify in heels, which started a deep ache in her feet with each step.
As she walked, questions about her mental visitor haunted her thoughts. No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was being watched. Her nape burned and the pinpricks continued to go off on her arms. She wasn’t sure whether to be calm and relax or continue to indulge the tension streaming through her body.
Her wolf continued to paw at their invisible divider, not asking for out but wanting to search for the intruder, to protect both of them. She didn’t blame the wolf in the least; she didn’t feel safe. Every car that passed her set her on edge. The sun that shone overhead was too bright; the sky seemed too blue and open. She felt exposed even though she had walked this ground many times, day and night. Stress clutched at her shoulders, making them feel tight.
The sidewalks teemed with people, most of whom were tourists—strangers surrounding her and boxing her in. She stopped under a bakery awning and took a few deep bre
aths. She was safe. No one would harm her. But she knew that Scentify would be full of strangers, and any one of them could be the intruder. The idea sent a thrill of alarm down her spine. She bit her lip and wondered if she could go home and call in sick.
“It wasn’t an attack,” the wolf told her. “Just curiosity. We’re safe and I’m with you.”
A soothing wave of reassurance spread throughout her body. She sighed and sank against the building. The scents of moonlight, forests at night, cool air, the kiss of a stream, the musk of animals scurrying around in the undergrowth—all these sensations swirled around her. Breathing in deeply, she allowed the wolf to arm her, to strengthen her defensive shields.
She felt that power seep into her until she could stand tall and walk on with ease. No one seemed threatening. She could see police officers winding their way through the crowd, doing their morning rounds. Just seeing them, in their dark blue and black uniforms made her feel a bit safer. She continued on along the sidewalk and stopped at the corner, waiting for the light to change.
Everywhere she looked, she could see the pentacles announcing Bonfire Festival Week in honor of Beltane. The ghost of warm, cinnamon-apple pie, deep-fried and topped with vanilla ice cream, rushed over her taste buds, along with the sugary rush of funnel cake and the scent of deep-fried Twinkies. Her mouth watered. She couldn’t wait for the fairs to begin. It would all lead up to the big bonfire by the lake, where there would be live music, food, and prizes given out just for attending. Then there would be the parade of shifters. Excitement shimmered over her skin.
It was all Jez and Anna talked about. That and how many yummy men were milling around town unattended. Carissa could only shake her head. The last few nights had been crazy. All the loud music had made it almost impossible to sleep without taking melatonin or something stronger.
Her purse began to vibrate, drawing her out of her thoughts of the fun ahead, she juggled her bags and reached into an outside pocket to get her cell phone. She answered without checking the ID.
“Hello?”
“Cari, darling? It’s Deanna, your mother,” her mom responded.
Carissa rolled her eyes. Like she wouldn’t know who her mother was. Apprehension filled her and she felt eyes on the back of her neck again.
“What’s going on, Mother?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.
“I was just calling you about the Bonfire Festival. There seems to be a lot of eligible men running around—”
Ah, this conversation again. “Mother, I don’t have time for this. I’m on my way to work.”
“Yes, I know, but we haven’t talked lately and I’ve been thinking about your frigidity. Daniel and I think that maybe if you found the right person then you’d open up and finally bloom. You deserve to have a fulfilling sex life, honey.”
Carissa plowed into someone in front of her and had to apologize quickly. She looked around as her face blazed with embarrassment and her ears pinged. Frigidity? Deanna had spoken to her father about this?
Before Carissa could say anything, her mother continued. “I’ve sent you some links that should help you. Some are porn, and others are positions that Daniel and I have found very satisfying. Also, I have to tell you what happened at our latest orgy. Oh. My. Goodness. Cat shifters are so naughty. They fuck like it’s their life mission. Perhaps you should find yourself one. It will definitely help broaden your sexual horizons.”
“I can’t discuss this right now,” Carissa hissed.
“Dear, call me Deanna. We’ve spoken about this before. Mother makes me feel so old and I’m so full of vim and vigor. Anyway, I’ve also emailed you some links for sex toys and accessories…”
Carissa was sure the whole world could hear this conversation and were judging her. She looked around, but thankfully no one was gazing her way. “Please, stop this. I can’t talk about this and I’ve told you my sex life isn’t fodder for your conversations with dad.”
“But it’s for your well being, dear. All that frustration can’t be good for your body or your stress level. I do worry about your blood pressure. The doctors already think you’re pre-hypertensive. You need to relax; sex will help that.”
Carissa gritted her teeth. The only reason she had high blood pressure was because of her parents’ unrelenting nagging. She almost said so out loud, but resisted the urge. It was disrespectful and that wasn’t the person she wanted to be.
Carissa shut her eyes. There were days when she wished to the gods that her parents had never learned how to use technology. Most of the time, she could ignore them, but after the strange probing this morning, her mental defenses were still rebuilding themselves.
“Mother, I have to go,” she said, as calmly as she could, calling the wolf for a little help.
“She does have a point,” the wolf said.
Carissa blinked. Her wolf was on her mother’s side? She shook her head and crossed the street. “Mother—”
“Let me tell you what happened at the orgy. This may help you. You never know…” Deanna pushed on as if Carissa hadn’t spoken.
She listened to her mother go into vivid detail about a party she had thrown that ended up involving food items, sex toys, and something to do with catnip. Carissa gritted her teeth, wishing that her hearing would fail.
“Mother—” she tried again.
A horn blast jarred her, and she looked up to find a driver at the crosswalk motioning for her to go. She resisted the urge to be obstinate and make him wait or just flip him off and then go. Good manners won out and she rushed across the street. The only good thing was that she had got a brief respite. The sound of her heart pounding and a loud ringing filled her ears, drowning out the conversation for a blessed moment.
Carissa blew out a breath and tried to relax. She took a moment to readjust the strap of her purse and juggle the bag handles that were digging into her forearms and the palm of her left hand. Once that was over, the jangling in her ears faded away and her mother’s voice came back in full voice along with that throaty chuckle that indicated that she’d just said something that would make the Pope blanch. Carissa sighed.
“Mom…Deanna,” she started. “I’ve got to go. I’m almost at work.” It was a lie.
“Oh, yes. Don’t forget to check those links.” Deanna’s voice dropped to a whisper. “You know…to help with your frigidity. I want you to go looking for a man at the Bonfire Festival. Don’t forget—cat shifters: sexy beasts and insatiable. Purr indeed.”
Carissa wanted to throw up. Instead, she hung up and continued on to Scentify.
Carissa began to wonder if she’d ever be left alone to find a guy on her own. With a sigh, she managed to yank open the front doors to Scentify, satisfied to see some people already waiting for them to open. She gave her potential customers a nod and allowed them to precede her into the shop. “Please, do wander around and check things out. I’ll get the coffee pot going.”
She gave them her best welcoming smile and squelched the excitement that fluttered in her stomach. Heels clicking on the pristine marble floor, she bypassed the front desk and headed to the back. All thoughts of unease disappeared.
“We have customers, ladies. One of you will have to forgo breakfast to get the ball going.” Carissa held out the bags of food and headed for the cabinet that held the herbs that they were still trying to decide how to use. She put her bags in the cabinet and placed her purse under her desk.
Anna grabbed her coffee and took a large swig. “I’ll go. As long as I have my coffee I’m good. Jez, you owe me.” With that she veered out of the room.
Carissa sat behind her desk and looked at Jezebel as she unpacked her breakfast, a cup of tea at the ready on the small table that separated the guest chairs. She said nothing, which made Cari uneasy. Rather than ask what was wrong, she got up and made herself a cup of coffee and got out her own breakfast.
“So, how many people out there today?” Jez asked, as she sank down in one of the guest chairs.
“About ten,” Cari replied. “More than usual. Maybe those ads and coupons are helping?”
“Probably. It helps that it’s Bonfire Festival time too.” Jezebel went quiet.
“What’s up?” A sinking feeling filled Carissa’s belly.
“Your mom called me. She’s worried about you. Why didn’t you tell us that you had issues?”
Frustration began to build in Carissa’s belly. The wolf wanted to lash out at her friend, to clamp down on her neck, and demand some sort of submission, or force her to take back the very personal question. To cover up her reaction, Cari picked up her coffee cup and took a sip, allowing the bittersweet liquid with a hint of Irish cream to soothe her. She savored the burst of smoky flavor and sweetness before placing the cup back on her desk. Her brain continued to work, searching for an answer that wouldn’t sound aggressive or rude. The last thing she needed was to get into an argument with a friend who was, after all, just trying to show some concern.
She cleared her throat. “First, my mom had no right to talk to you about that. That’s her assessment of me, not the truth. Second, I would ask you to not repeat that assertion. If I have an issue, I’ll let you know.” Not that she really would. They might be friends, but it was none of Jez’s business what was going on with her sex life.
A light red flush appeared on Jezebel’s pale caramel cheeks. “Cari, look, I’m sorry, but she made it sound like it was interfering with your life and your happiness. I love you dearly, hon. I just want you to be happy, is all.”
Cari refused to feel guilty for the tone she had used. “I know that, Jez. But you know my mother can go overboard. She wants everyone to have the sort of open relationship she and my father have. She feels I’ve failed her in some way by not being just like them. I’m happy where I’m at right now.”
Dragon Ugly (Dragon New Year) Page 2
