by Eve Langlais
“Excuse me,” he said as they drew near. “I’m visiting my wife and last time Kaylie, our baby, got scared by the machines. Would you mind watching her for just a few minutes?”
The woman’s features lit up with delight. “We’d love to! We’ll go to the family area at the end of the hall and wait for you.”
She took Roxie and the purple bag. Rafe felt suddenly bereft, and an odd panic pierced him. The woman patted his arm. “I’m Velma, and this is Henry. We have four children and nine grandchildren. Your little one will be just fine with us.”
“Thank you. I won’t be long.”
“Don’t worry, daddy.” The woman made a shooing motion with her free hand. “Go see your wife.”
Rafe waited for the couple to move down the hall before he quietly opened the door. The room was dark. Silent. Too silent. No monitors beeped. No lights blinked from the machines. The shades were drawn tightly against the afternoon sunlight. The hair rose on the back of his neck.
He smelled the werewolf at the same time he sensed movement on his left. He punched high, making contact with a throat, while simultaneously landing a straight kick to the shifter’s stomach. A muffled groan accompanied the thud to the floor.
“I hope you’re not really a doctor,” he muttered. He felt the wall for the light switch and flipped it on. The man was curled on the floor. His face was red and sweaty, and his eyes were squeezed shut. The blow to the man’s gut prevented any noise except pitiful wheezing.
He didn’t know whether to help the guy or to kick him again. His gaze swung to the bed in the middle of the room. A woman occupied it. He noticed that her arm hung off the side, limp and unmoving. The sheets were twisted around her torso, and a pillow covered her head.
Rafe’s heart skipped a beat.
The bastard had suffocated Kaylie’s mother.
Chapter Eight
RAFE PUNCHED THE fake doctor in the jaw when he tried to stand up. Werewolves were strong, but they didn’t have the strength of a fucking bear. The guy went lights out.
He strode to the bed and tossed the pillow off Gretchen Myers’ face.
She was breathing.
The moment he saw her he felt sucker–punched. She had long hair, the color of wheat, and her pale face was heart–shaped. Beautiful.
And she was human.
That didn’t mean anything. If she was married to a werewolf, she could’ve birthed a shifter baby. The idea that she may already be mated gut–punched him. The unexpected reaction had him reeling even more than his complete and utter attraction to the woman.
After he reassured himself the woman was okay, Rafe dragged her attacker into the tiny bathroom. He grabbed a hand towel resting on the sink, stuffed the middle portion in the guy’s mouth, and tied it tightly behind his head. He stripped his belt off and used it to bind the werewolf’s hands behind his back. After this moron woke up, it would take him a while to get free. Rafe planned to be far away before that happened.
Rafe went back to Gretchen’s bedside and touched her face. Her cheek was soft and warm. God, it had been forever since his fingers had danced across a woman’s skin. He inhaled the scent of her–feminine and sweet, like honey. He loved honey. He was a bear, after all.
Her eyes fluttered open. He was stunned by the color–moss green with flecks of gold. He saw the forest, nature, and life reflected there. His heart turned over in chest. What the hell was wrong with him? Then he noticed her gaze was wide with fear.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said. He didn’t exactly sound comfortable.
“That man…”
“Don’t worry about him. Can you get out of bed?”
“The meds make me sleepy.”
Shit. Rafe wouldn’t be able to walk out of the hospital with a patient over his shoulder and a baby in his arms. He needed her to get motivated. “Kaylie’s here. I brought her to you.”
“You have her? Oh, thank God. Where is she?”
“Just down the hall.”
Relief filled her expression. Then she frowned at him. “You’re not the police, are you? What are you?”
Not who, but what. “My name is Rafe Pearson. I’m only here to help, I swear. Was your husband in the same accident? Where is he?”
“I’m not married.”
Not married? That meant she was a widow or she was single. Single didn’t make sense because werewolves didn’t breed indiscriminately. They mated before they had babies. He’d been a cop too long. He knew when someone was holding back on information. Gretchen Myers had secrets–and trust issues. He couldn’t blame her, though. It seemed obvious she was operating in a world she knew very little about.
“I cold–cocked the guy who was trying to smother you. Any reason a werewolf wants you dead?”
Her face went bone–white. “Oh, my God. I have to get Kaylie away from here.”
Her panic was real, and so was her distress. When he was a cop, he’d seen that reaction too many times in women who’d been the victims of stalking. Someone was after Gretchen–and her baby.
“Get dressed. We’ll go get Kaylie, and then I’ll get you both out of here.”
“Thank you.” Gretchen sat up, removed the tape around her IV line and pulled it out. She swung her legs off the bed and put her feet on the floor. Her determination was admirable. Rafe sensed there was a lot about this woman he could like. Strength and perseverance was as sexy as beauty and lush curves. She managed to stand, but immediately began to sway.
“Easy, sweetheart.” Rafe guided her to sit on the side of the bed. “I’ll bring your clothes to you.”
He went to the small closet and pulled out what he could find: a sweater, jeans, socks, black lace panties and bra set–not standard mom issue–and a pair of zip–up ankle boots. He plopped them all next to Gretchen.
“Would you mind giving me some privacy?” she asked, glancing down at her undergarments then back at Rafe. Her cheeks turned a charming pink, but she didn’t drop her gaze. Damn, she was cute.
“No problem.” He moved to the door and turned away from her.
“How did you find Kaylie?”
Rafe heard the rasp of clothing and couldn’t help but imagine what Gretchen looked like without clothes. Those gorgeous breasts filling his hands, the feel of her writhing beneath him, breathy moans coasting along his skin as he plunged inside her wet heat. Rafe shook away the images, shocked at his own thoughts. It had been a long time since he’d had lustful inclinations. What the hell was this inexplicable attraction to a woman he knew nothing about?
“Rafe?”
Right. She’d asked a question. “My wolf found her and brought her to my cabin.”
Her could hear her hesitation. Then softly, she asked, “You mean … you were in wolf form, and you found her?”
Rafe looked over his shoulder, somewhat offended to be mistaken for a werewolf. Gretchen hadn’t yet put on her sweater, and his gaze roamed over her breasts so nicely displayed in the black lace bra. Desire swept through him, a hot yearning that he felt right down to his suddenly perking cock. Down, boy. We don’t have time to be frisky.
“Do you mind?”
“Oh. Sorry.” He faced the door again. “I’m not a werewolf. I’m a bear shifter.”
“Bear shifter? How many kinds of shifters are there?”
“Lots.”
“I had no idea,” she said unperturbed.
Rafe heard a soft groan. Shit. He opened the bathroom door and saw the werewolf coming to, his eyes fluttering open. Rafe gave the would–be assassin a left hook that slammed him into the side of the bathtub. The werewolf slumped to the floor.
“Rafe?”
He shut the door and pivoted.
“What are you doing?”
“Taking care of business.”
She didn’t question him. Instead, she asked, “Where’s the baby?”
The baby. Not my daughter or my child. He frowned. “Isn’t Kaylie yours?”
Gretchen looked at him, haunted.
“She’s my niece. Sorta. It’s a long story. But her mother is … gone.” She swallowed hard. “Vivian is–was my stepsister. She asked me to take Kaylie to Aunt Lila in Bleed City.”
“Bleed City is a Shadow Pack protectorate. If Kaylie’s mom is a Shadow, then why do you have her daughter? The Shadows protect their own, especially the children.”
“Look, I don’t know, okay? I came to Las Vegas for a conference, and Vivian found me. She asked me to take Kaylie to Bleed City–and that’s what I’m going to do.” Gretchen’s voice ached with sorrow, and her eyes gleamed with unshed tears. “Please help me.”
“I will.” Rafe crossed his arms and stared hard at her. “But first I need you to answer a question. Who is Kaylie’s father?”
“His name is Rand Blackthorne. He killed my stepsister right after she handed Kaylie to me. I ran. He came after us … and … and caused the accident.”
“I’m sorry, Gretchen.” He blew out a breath. “The Blackthornes are rogue werewolves. They don’t affiliate with any pack because they believe breeding with humans weakens their bloodlines.”
“I know how vicious the Blackthornes can be.”
“There’s only one left now. After his father died, Rand became the only living heir to the Blackthorne legacy. If Kaylie is his child… ”
Gretchen shook her head. “I don’t care about werewolf politics. I just need to get Kaylie to safety. I owe Vivian that much.”
Rafe nodded. “All right. Let’s go.”
Gretchen retrieved her purse from the closet and leaned heavily on Rafe as they exited the room. The more she walked, the stronger Gretchen apparently felt. Within moments, she was striding straight and tall without his help. Her fortitude amazed him. She had the strength of a bear–and it seemed, the heart of one. Her dedication to her stepsister’s wishes was commendable, especially when Rand Blackthorne was involved.
Blackthorne owned a couple of casinos and few other more shady businesses. His corruption had gotten him onto the human radar, and he’d been investigated several times by state and federal government agencies. Witnesses tended to disappear, and justice personnel often got transferred or suspended, making it difficult to prosecute him.
In the shifter world, Blackthorne was an outcast. Even if he wanted to join a pack, none would have him–not even the Blood Pack, and that was saying something.
They reached the tiny waiting area, and Rafe’s gaze swept the room. He counted three people–and none of them were sweet old grandparents and a werewolf baby.
“I don’t understand,” said Gretchen. “Where’s Kaylie?”
“Excuse me,” said Rafe, attracting the attention of the nearest woman. “Did you see an elderly couple with an infant?”
“No,” said the tired lady. She gestured to the other two people. “We’ve been in here all day. No one else has come in.”
Dread drop into his stomach like a lead weight.
Kaylie was gone.
Chapter Nine
AUNT LILA, A slim silver–haired woman dressed in a lavender pantsuit, poured coffee for Gretchen and Rafe, who sat at the dining room table. After tending to her guests, Aunt Lila took a seat opposite of Gretchen.
The last three hours had been a hazy tumult of emotion and stress as Gretchen dealt with the aftereffects of medication and guilt. Rafe, who had no vested interest in helping her, had driven straight to Bleed City, promising Gretchen they would get Kaylie back–whatever it took.
Rafe sat next to her. The bear shifter was all kinds of handsome, from his sharp cheekbones and straight nose, to his full lips and the cute dent in his chin. His eyes were a deep brown, the color of melted chocolate. He was the exact opposite of the kind of man she usually dated. Her fear of big, muscled men had become ingrained in her the night Trent and Jacob had tried to rape her. But Rafe’s large presence brought her a kind of comfort she couldn’t quite understand. His nearness gave her a feeling of safety, she hadn’t experienced since she’d left Vivian’s with the baby. And when he said they’d rescue Kaylie, she believed him.
Rafe seemed to sense her distress and reached over to rub her back. It was such a sweet, impulsive way to offer her solace. She had the sudden and disconcerting realization that she could find plenty of things to like about Rafe–not the least of which was the way her skin tingled at his platonic touches. However, the smoky look in those dark eyes left no doubt what he was thinking about her. And nudity. And doing things that made two people sweat and moan and–whoa. She really needed to stop thinking about the way he’d looked her in the hospital room when she was half–clothed. Even now, her blood heated and her heart pounded. The way she felt baffled her. How could she be so utterly attracted to him with everything going on right now? The last thing she should do was think about Rafe Pearson in that way. Her desire for him just added to the guilt pile she’d already accumulated by failing Vivian so completely.
Gretchen clutched the mug and sipped from it. The coffee was strong and sweet, just the right thing to help clear her mind. She couldn’t let her fright for Kaylie or her fear of Rand dissuade her from her purpose. Vivian didn’t want that murdering bastard anywhere near her child, and Gretchen would make damn sure Vivian’s wishes were honored.
Her gaze flicked to the woman across from her. Aunt Lila was the kind of woman who didn’t fill up the silence with inane talk or useless questions, and Gretchen felt better in her presence. She radiated a soothing calm, which lasted until the doorbell rang.
Aunt Lila smiled. “The alphas are here.” She left to answer the door. When she returned, a striking man with impossibly long hair, and a lithe, graceful woman followed her into the dining room.
“This is Grey Burke and his wife, Belle,” said Aunt Lila. “This is Rafe Pearson and Gretchen Myers.”
Everyone shook hands and said hellos, and then Grey and Belle seated themselves at the table. Aunt Lila brought them coffee, too, and then re–settled in her chair.
“We know that Rand has the baby,” said Grey.
“Oh, no.” Gretchen blinked back tears. “I can’t leave her with him. He’s a killer.” She told them everything–from the moment Vivian gave her the note at the hotel to the accident that left her unconscious.
“He must’ve found out about her plan to leave,” said Aunt Lila.
“She was leaving him?” asked Gretchen. “Then why didn’t she come with me?”
“She made the decision to sacrifice herself to save her daughter. Nothing was more important to her than that little girl,” said Aunt Lila.
“A month ago, she came to the Shadows in secret and joined the pack,” said Grey. “She and Kaylie are legitimate members and are entitled to our protection.”
Gretchen put the coffee mug down, though her suddenly shaking hands nearly dropped it. “A month ago?” She inhaled a shaky breath. “She never planned to leave Rand. I won a radio contest for a Las Vegas trip that I had to take this weekend. Believe me, I checked things out to make sure it was legit. But … Vivian must’ve set it all up. That’s how she knew I was at Caesar’s.”
Silence descended. Gretchen felt her throat knot, but damned if she would give in to tears. “Why would she marry a Blackthorne? She–” She stopped short of confessing what Vivian had done to save her. It had been a secret for so long, she couldn’t bear to say it out loud. It would make everything real–Vivian’s death, Kaylie’s kidnapping, the mistake Gretchen had made and could never, ever take back.
“We know what she did,” said Belle softly. Her gaze was kind. “She explained that if she could no longer care for Kaylie, you would be her first choice to raise her daughter.”
“Why?” Gretchen couldn’t stop the tears this time. “I haven’t talked to her for ten years. The last time we saw each other, she … she risked everything to save me.”
Aunt Lila, Belle, and Grey all shared a look. Then the Shadow Pack alpha nodded. “We know she killed Trent Blackthorne. The father of Trent and Rand demanded a blood debt.”
“W
hat does that mean?” asked Gretchen.
“It’s the werewolf version of an eye for an eye. Harry agreed to indenture himself into the service of the Blackthornes, but Vivian couldn’t bear the thought of her father paying for what she did. She offered herself instead, and she was given to Rand as a bride.”
“How long was she married to him?” asked Gretchen, horrified.
“For the last nine years,” said Aunt Lila. “She told us that she had taken precautions against getting pregnant. Rand wanted her to have children.”
“Whatever she was doing to prevent pregnancy either failed or Rand figured out what she was doing and forced her to stop,” added Grey. “Once she had Kaylie, she knew she couldn’t let her child grow up as a Blackthorne. That’s why she reached out for our help. And we gladly gave it.”
“Her life was awful because of me,” said Gretchen. “If she hadn’t tried to save me from my foolishness, she would’ve never killed Trent. Oh, my God.” She buried her face in her hands and wept.
Rafe’s arm dropped around her shoulders in a protective gesture, and his kindness only made her cry harder. After a while, the sorrow lessened and the tears dried. She was able to once again to face the people at the table.
“What happened was an accident,” said Aunt Lila. “This tragedy befell Trent because he was a cruel, malevolent creature. You were not the first girl he chased into the desert and tried to ravage. Vivian knew his true nature–she stopped him from ever doing it again. She married Rand because he’s the last Blackthorne. She wanted the line to die with him. When she couldn’t ensure that–she made plans to save Kaylie.”
“Are you saying she tried to kill him?” asked Gretchen. “That’s why she wanted me to take the baby. She was going to end it all.”
