by Beverly Rae
“I didn’t expect to get that kind of a welcome.”
“I didn’t expect to give you that kind of a welcome.” His indefinable expression left her wondering and his lack of warmth unsettled her. Was he here to seal her fate? Was that why he seemed so…different? “Why haven’t you come to see me?”
Not that she couldn’t guess why, but she wanted him to confirm her suspicions. If he came to tell her what he planned to do to her, then let him get on with it.
“Tucker, send the others away and take a position outside her door.”
Tucker paused for a moment, then answered with a curt nod and stepped outside. With a voice commanding and forceful like Daniel’s, he ordered the guards away. Daniel closed the door, then faced her. Lauren blew out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d held in check. Oh, my God. He’s going to tell me. Please, God, don’t let it be too painful.
“I stayed away because I had a lot of decisions to make. But the more I thought about what you told me, the more questions I had.”
Maybe she shouldn’t have brought it up, but the words were out before she could stop them. “You mean about Torrie? About my part in her…demise?”
He laughed, but his laugh held no humor. And yet, she didn’t sense any anger, either. “Demise? Don’t you mean her murder? Demise sounds too…nice. Too clean. Like she died in her sleep.”
“I’m sorry, Daniel. I wish I could change things and bring her back to you, but I can’t. If I’d known how shifters really were, I’d have never gotten involved with hunters in the first place. Please. I hope you believe me when I tell you how sorry I am. If not now, maybe you can later. After…you know.”
He quirked his head at her, the familiar gesture bringing a light to her chilled heart. “After what?”
Irritation made an unexpected visit, threatening to make her say foolish things. She struggled to keep her temper in check. “Please don’t toy with me. In fact, just do it now and get it done.” Lifting her chin in a brave gesture she didn’t feel, she quipped, “The least you can do is to make it quick.”
“Make it quick?”
Why was he playing dumb? To make her suffer more? If so, he’d miscalculated. Instead of drawing out the inevitable wait, he was pissing her off. However, she had to play nice. What choice did she have? “Yeah. I know I don’t have the right to ask for any favors, but I’d appreciate it if you’d handle the deed yourself. Get it over with as fast as humanly, or should I say, as fast as shifterly possible.”
“I don’t think that’s a real word.”
His guffaw made her feel worse, but she wasn’t about to let him put her down. Not even in death. “Gee, I can’t tell you how happy I am that my death is providing amusement for you.”
“Your death?” He gaped at her. “Oh, that’s what you’re talking about. No, Lauren, I’m not going to kill you.”
“You’re not? Then what? Are you planning on torturing me? Maybe holding me captive forever? Turning me into a sex slave?”
He chuckled again, then finally noticed her irritation. “Sorry. I hadn’t thought of any of those things. Although the sex slave idea is interesting.”
Daniel’s sex slave? Yeah, it was definitely an interesting—and appealing—idea.
“So if you’re not doing any of that, are you letting me go?” Had he forgiven her? Would he really turn her loose? She didn’t want to, but she allowed a brief spark of hope to thrive.
His smile died. “No. But I still haven’t decided what to do with you. Like I said, I have more questions.”
“More questions? How much more can I tell you?” Her heart plummeted to the floor and then, almost as quickly, lifted again at the idea of spending more time with Daniel. “Never mind. Fire away.” She blanched. “Oops. I’m sorry. Poor choice of words.”
He waved off her apology. “How did you become a hunter?”
She scoffed at the memory. “How else? By being stupid. I met John in a bar and, like anyone who’d spent her life studying and working, I thought he was dashing and dangerous. Then when he started talking about shifter hunting, I couldn’t believe this other world existed. I mean, compared to the other men I’d gone out with, he was Indiana Jones and Han Solo all rolled into one. Then once I accepted that werewolves actually existed, the hunting part seemed adventurous, even glamorous.”
“I guess people can convince themselves of anything if they want to.” Daniel moved to gaze out the window. “You started going on hunts?”
“Not right away. John had to spend a month lecturing me about shifters, how awful they were, how hunters were doing God’s work in wiping them out. We spent every night together, talking about werewolves and how to kill them.” She willed him to turn around so she could see his face, see if what she told him made any difference.
“In other words, you were indoctrinated first.”
His tone was flat and unemotional. She wanted to touch him, but was afraid to. “More like brainwashed, now that I look back on it.”
“Then you went on a hunt.”
He’d fed her the next line to her tale. “That’s right. After a couple of lessons teaching me how to fire a rifle, John said I was ready for a hunt.”
He whirled to face her, scaring her again. “And that was when you killed Torrie.”
She nodded, her speech failing her. Could he understand how stupid and trusting she’d been? Did he realize she knew better now? That, had she known, she wouldn’t have killed his mate?
He shook his head, the movement so tired and so sad. “It’s strange. I should hate you. In fact, I should’ve already ordered your death or killed you myself. But I can’t.” His face closed up, confusion etched in the lines of his face. “The problem is that I can’t help thinking that Torrie would have forgiven you.”
“She would have?” Tears formed, threatening to fall. Instead, Lauren thrust out her chin, defying the tears to disobey her. “Torrie must’ve been a very special woman.”
He cleared his throat, emotion flitting across his features. “She was. Which makes my decision that much harder. I keep thinking about what Torrie would have done.” He laughed that mirthless laugh again. “This has caused me to rethink everything. Your punishment. Taking the pack on the offensive. Even what I believe about hunters.”
“I’m sorry.” What else could she say? If she could bring Torrie back, she would. How else could she bring him peace?
“Do you realize how long I’ve dreamed of avenging her death? How long I’ve daydreamed about killing the hunter who took my mate from me?” He raked a hand through his hair and groaned. “I never expected her killer to be someone like you. In many ways, you remind me of her. Like you, she was kind. She was always going out of her way to help someone in trouble even if that put her in danger. Always wanting to believe the best of people, to right the wrongs she saw in the world.” He laughed a little lighter this time. “And like you, I sometimes had a hard time understanding her.”
“I remind you of her?” She wished she could have known Torrie. Could she be as forgiving? “I’m honored that you think so.” The thoughtful look he gave her warmed her to her core. Unexpected wetness flowed between her legs.
“Torrie looked a lot like you, too. In human form, of course.”
“She did?” She was intrigued by his late wife and found herself wanting to be like her.
“Yeah. She was your height, your weight.” His gaze slid over her, taking in every inch. “But more than that. Hell, if one of my men had attacked her, she would’ve forgiven him right then and there, just like you did. She also had spunk like you.” A cloud darkened his face. “That’s part of the reason she was in the city. A friend of hers needed her help and I had too much work to do to go with her. I warned her not to go alone.”
Lauren reached for him and was thrilled when he let her take his hand. “But she went anyway?”
His eyes filled with pain and his voice grew hoarse. “Why didn’t she listen to me? If she’d only waited a few hours, I’
d have gone with her. I’d have protected her.”
“You blame yourself for letting her go.” He didn’t have to confirm it. She could see it in the way he ground his teeth, the way his shoulders dropped.
“I could have saved her.”
“Or died with her.”
He pulled away and strode to the other side of the room. “I would have preferred death than life without her.”
The swift slash of envy almost knocked her over. Would she ever know such a wondrous love? Would she ever find anyone who would lay down their life for hers? Someone who she would give her life for? Torrie hadn’t lived a long life, but she’d had a rich one, filled with an amazing man who’d treasured her.
“Daniel, from what you’ve told me about Torrie, I don’t think she’d want you searching for revenge. She sounds like the kind of woman who would’ve wanted the best for you, and who would’ve hoped you could enjoy all the happiness you could find.”
“Torrie wanted the best for everyone. She refused to harm hunters even when they threatened her.” A cloud darkened his features. “Which, of course, meant she was an easy target.”
Guilt washed over Lauren. She’d taken Torrie from him by murdering a kind soul who had deserved to live a full life. If she hadn’t joined the hunters, hadn’t listened to John’s lies, Torrie Cannon would be alive and Daniel wouldn’t be filled with regret and pain. “Daniel, it’s okay. Do what you need to do. If it takes my death to make you start living again, then kill me. I deserve it.”
“Like I said, you’ve got spunk, too. You’re a bit foolish maybe, but spunky.”
She couldn’t help it. The way he grinned at her made her smile.
The hardness of his face left and his eyes grew soft. “I don’t want you harmed. Not by me or anyone else. You’re a brave woman, Lauren Kade.”
“Pff. Don’t let me fool you. I’m whining and crying on the inside like crazy.” Did she dare risk asking? “Daniel, do you believe me? Do you forgive me?”
“Yes, no. I don’t know.” The humor fled him as quickly as it had come. The alpha leader was back. “We’ll find out soon enough if you’re telling the truth. We’ll see if Mysta confirms your story when she wakes up. If she wakes up.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ve gotta say, Lauren. With Mysta not awake yet and Tyler missing, I’d say you’re doing a bang-up job of helping us werewolves. Maybe we’d be better off if you stopped trying to help us.”
“Hey, I’m doing the best I can. I’ve saved quite a few werewolves over the past year and you weren’t even aware of my help. But if John ever found out… Well, I’d rather not go there. Have you heard from Tyler?”
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck. “No. I sent a couple of men to scout the area where you left him, but they couldn’t find anything. Of course, that doesn’t mean much. Anything could have happened to him.”
“Maybe he was able to get away but couldn’t make it back to the pack. If he’s injured, he might still be out there, hurt and alone.”
“I’ll send another search party out to cover a bigger area and see what they come up with.”
She sat beside him, daring to let her arm brush his. A sizzle, reminding her of their lovemaking, fired through her. She licked her lips, wanting to entice him to kiss her. “I think you’re starting to believe me, aren’t you? Come on. ’Fess up.” But she didn’t give him time to argue. “Think about it. I had plenty of time to kill Mysta if I’d wanted to. Why would I let her live if I was a cold-blooded killer?”
He frowned, considered her reasoning.
“Do you remember my gun lying on the ground? Think about it, Daniel. What hunter would place her gun on the ground after cornering a wounded animal? A very stupid one, right? And, aside from letting John brainwash me, you know I’m no dummy.”
“I don’t know what to make of you.” He spoke the truth, the clarity of it ringing in her ears. “You’re a different kind of hunter, all right.”
Lauren blinked, then smiled. “Gee, thanks. I like you, too.”
He laughed for real this time, loud and bold. Damn, how she loved the sound of his laugh. If only she could make him laugh more often.
“I didn’t say I liked you.”
“Fine. On that point, we’ll agree to disagree.” She moved closer to him, sensing sensual tension between them. “But I think you do. Or at least you like me enough to do you-know-what.” She glanced at the bed.
“Sex doesn’t mean I like you. In fact, I don’t like most of the women I take to bed.”
Had she misinterpreted his signals? No, she didn’t, wouldn’t believe that. “Again. Gee, thanks. But I still think you like me.” If nothing else, she intrigued him. Could his interest grow into something more?
“Why do you think that?”
“Why else would you bring me here? You could have hurt me in the alley, on the way here, or earlier. But you didn’t. Why didn’t you, Daniel?” She rested her head against his arm. “Because, Mr. Cannon, you like me. Whether you know it or not. Whether you admit it or not.”
“You’re right.”
“Ah-hah!”
“Now hang on. You’re right that I could’ve hurt you at any time. In fact, that was the plan. But plans change for a lot of reasons.”
“What was the reason this plan changed?”
“There are two reasons. First, I don’t like hurting women. Even female hunters.”
“Good to know. And the second reason?”
Daniel trapped an auburn hair curled in front of her face and brushed it back. “I had to have you.”
“Oh.” A blush flowed into her cheeks, warming them. But it was the way he looked at her that sent liquid fire to the cleft between her thighs.
“I wanted you and now I want to believe you.” He skimmed his thumb over her lips.
“And I want you to believe me.” She peeked her tongue out to lightly touch his skin. “Believe me because it’s true.” Her eyes sought his. “Can you tell me you do, Daniel?”
“I don’t know.”
He disappointed her, a twinge in her gut telling her that it hurt. But why? She barely knew the man. He was her captor, the shifter who’d kidnapped her. Yet he was so much more. In Daniel, she saw the qualities she’d always wanted in a man. But he was filled with contradictions. At once treating her like the prisoner she was, then holding her, comforting her, taking care of her.
The sound of someone speaking to Tucker reminded her that Daniel had others to answer to, others to protect.
“No way will the pack accept that a hunter would help shifters.”
Their eyes met and joined forces. Lauren leaned forward, parted her lips and closed her eyes. Please, Daniel. Kiss me. Make love to me again. If you don’t believe my words, then believe my touch. When he didn’t answer her plea, she opened her eyes to search his face.
He tilted his head at her in that endearing way he had and narrowed his eyes. She held her breath, afraid to hope that he’d heard her thoughts. With a groan, he leaned in and grazed his lips over hers. The slight touch magnified her senses, doubling them so that every nerve came alive. She pushed against him, wanting him closer than was physically possible. He answered her, enveloping her in his arms, crushing her breasts to his chest.
“Do you want this, Lauren?”
“Mmm-umm.” She tickled her tongue against his lips, then slipped her tongue inside his mouth to eagerly enjoy his taste.
Daniel clasped the back of her head, holding her to him, his kiss growing harder, more possessive. Their tongues intertwined, playfully drinking the juices from each other. She wanted to stay this way forever, man and woman, hunter and shifter.
Daniel broke free and took a long look at her. She swallowed and waited. Would he stop? If he did, what could she do to keep him kissing her?
He dropped his gaze, taking in the rise and fall of her breasts, then brought his attention back to her face. “I don’t ask.”
“I’m sorry?”
“I don’t ask. Women ha
ve always done whatever I told them to do. But you’re…”
“I’m what?” The one who’d taken Torrie from him? Or could he mean something better? Maybe he would say she was too beautiful, too alluring, too much woman for him. At least his rejection wouldn’t hurt as much.
“You’re different.”
She hadn’t expected that. Different? Was that better? “O-kay.”
Daniel rubbed the frown off her forehead. “Different as in special.”
“Oh, I’m special now?” She made air quotes around the word. “What do you mean by special?”
“Special is good. You’re not like the other women I’ve known since…”
She fingered the button on his shirt. “Since Torrie?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you saying this is more than a good time? More than a captive and captor fling?” She prayed he’d say the answer she desperately wanted to hear but was afraid to hope for.
He searched her, his mouth set. “I don’t know what or how this is different. Not yet. I just know that you’re not like all the rest.”
Lauren could see his uncertainty, feel the way he held his body apart from her. Lifting her lips toward his, she closed her eyes and passed her tongue over them, tempting him to kiss her again. He crushed his mouth to hers, taking her tightly by the arms.
She mewed at the taste of him, the unfamiliar taste of wolf mixed with man, and yielded to him. The kiss deepened, growing at once hotter and sweeter. Again their tongues played the game of exploration, rolling over and under. She had to have him, no matter what happened afterward. Standing, she locked her hands behind his neck. She smiled, moving her core against the bulge in his jeans. “You don’t have to ask me either, Daniel.”
“I don’t?” He buried his face in the hollow between her breasts.
“No, you don’t. Because I’m telling you. Take me.”
He lifted his head, his face flushed by her skin. Giving a quick howl, he nipped her neck, then skimmed his teeth over her skin down to the nipple hidden under her shirt. She rocked against him, delighting in the growth between her legs, and fumbled to get his jeans open. He copied her, tearing the buttons off hers as she yanked off his shirt. Her shirt was next as he ripped the material away.
