A Wolf of Her Own (11 page)

As if they’d leave her alone.

They went in through the back porch and she made them wait in there while she fetched a towel and wiped their paws, legs and underbelly with it. They tried not to whine when her hands met a sore spot, clean of blood and mostly healed after his shifts. They were being treated like a dog, but they didn’t mind. She was taking care of them like a mate.

Why are you thinking of her as a mate?

Ours
.

She led them into the house. "I need a shower and a change." She avoided looking at her clothes that were bloodied again. "Will you wait down here?" They didn’t have a choice. They were too exhausted to make it up the stairs. So they went to the front door and settled down in front of it, guarding.

When she returned they followed her to kitchen. "I don’t know what to offer to you. Dog food? Raw meat? Water?" She was attempting humour to lighten her mood, but it didn’t seem to work. They went to her and pushed against her leg, consoling. She rubbed their ears and they liked it.

She prepared a pot of tea and set a tray with some biscuits on it too. She carried it to the morning room where the TV was and settled down to watch it. They climbed on the sofa with her and pressed close against her, their head resting on her lap. She fed them biscuits. They needed the closeness as much as she did. They were low on Might and tired. Sharing body warmth and their combined Might would help them both heal.

Thus they spent the better part of the night, she sipping tea long after it had gone cold, pretending to watch the TV, feeding them all the biscuits, and absently rubbing their ears. It felt soothing, relaxing, and even though they knew they should stay alert they couldn’t fight the exhaustion. Their eyes pressed closed and they were asleep.

Kieran startled awake. It was early dawn, the morning fog hanging heavy outside the window. He was lying on the sofa, naked. He had shifted at some point, though he couldn’t tell if that was what had woken him up.

It definitely wasn’t feeling cold that had roused him. He was perfectly warm despite his lack of clothing. Gemma was wrapped around him. He was lying on his side, curled up like a wolf, his legs underneath him—and her. Her head was resting on his side, her arms holding him tight, as if seeking comfort even in her sleep. She must have wrapped herself around the wolf at some point and she hadn’t let go even when he shifted.

He liked how she felt against him, her form following his, her breathing brushing at his bare skin, her enticing scent surrounding him. Her soft breasts pressed against his back…

His body stirred with an onset of arousal. It was immediately followed by another emotion, however, even stronger than the first. Tenderness.

That she felt safe enough to sleep next to him when he was in his wolf form warmed his heart. He pushed the arousal away, giving the warmth room to grow.

Other sensations began to take precedence. He desperately needed to stretch his legs, but Gemma was lying on them, and waking her up was out of the question. She needed to recover. Even in her sleep she exuded sadness. He cursed his weakness and inability to help her when she had needed him. She shouldn’t have had to bury her dog alone.

Ours
.

Kieran tried to ignore his wolf’s possessiveness. He was a modern man and couldn’t view any woman, let alone one that could be his mate, in proprietary terms. His wolf was more primal and reacted with emotions Kieran didn’t always feel. Reacted to Might. But his second side hadn’t called anyone their mate before. That he did now made Kieran’s heart jump. Was she the one?

He liked Gemma. He admired her strength and beauty. He was mature enough, too, for the commitment of being bound by Might. It didn’t even matter that she was a vampire. Lying still, he let the notion take root that he would spend the rest of his long life with her. It made him feel good. It felt natural. But it was happening a little too soon.

She is ours
.

Kieran sighed at the stubbornness of his wolf. Then he groaned, as silently as possible. He really needed to stretch his legs. Carefully, he began to ease them out from underneath Gemma. She didn’t weigh much, but his legs had been in the uncomfortable position for too long and had gone to sleep.

She sighed and shifted a little, allowing him to free his legs. He stretched them and bit his lip when the blood rushed back, causing pins and needles to prickle them. Once they were back to relatively normal he placed them back on the sofa, along her legs. She shifted again, snuggling closer.

His breathing caught. He could get used to this. But if her hand dropped any lower, he wouldn’t be able to halt the arousal again.

"I’m awake, you know."

Kieran tensed. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you."

"As if this situation weren’t disturbing enough." But she didn’t move, her head still resting on him. Her hand still close to his morning erection.

"You couldn’t know I would shift back," he consoled her, his voice gruff as he tried to control the surge of arousal.

"How did that happen anyway? I thought you were too low on Might to shift."

"I was. Either my reserves filled while I slept or our combined energy was enough to trigger it."

He felt her smile. "It’s a good thing I’m here then."

"Yeah." He moved his hand to brush her hair, some of which spread over him in a silken veil. "Weren’t you afraid to sleep next to a wolf?"

She laughed softly. "Didn’t we already agree that I’m the biggest bad?"

"That we did." He kept stroking her hair, his movements slow, relaxing. The strands felt like silk, the colour ever changing in the morning light, gold, copper, brass.

She was quiet for so long that he thought she had fallen asleep again. "My wolf friend—Colm—was in wolf form most of the time. I got used to it." Her recollection made his heart ache, for his brother and for a little girl who had needed Colm’s protection. He imagined her sleeping next to a huge wolf, and in a way it helped him too. It brought his brother back to him. "Besides, how could I fear your wolf when you were sleeping so peacefully? And you were so soft and warm. I couldn’t resist."

He was glad she hadn’t, and that she was still lying next to him. He liked how she felt pressed against him, liked how they fit together so seamlessly. His arousal was becoming impossible to stifle, her warm body an irresistible temptation.

She tensed and he feared she would flee. They had known each other for such a short time and she didn’t have a sentient entity inside her pulling her to him. Not that he needed his wolf to find her attractive.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, directing their attention away from him.

"I’m fine."

Kieran frowned. "I can sense you as well as you can sense me, you know."

"Oh, I can sense you all right." They both laughed, and the tension eased a little. "I guess I could use some blood."

A jolt, of fear or excitement, he couldn’t tell, and then he spoke words he hadn’t thought he ever would. Yet they felt right.

"Would you like to feed from me?"

Gemma’s fangs shot down and she began to salivate, an unprecedented reaction to a notion of feeding. It was a duty for her, like taking her vitamins. Then again, no one had offered to feed her before. She only fed from strangers, people she knew she would never have to see again, who were
charmed
from the beginning to the end so that they knew nothing about it.

The temptation to experience the other side of feeding, the intimate connection it could be, was strong, but she hesitated. "I don’t know if I should accept your offer."

"Why not? I’m not afraid of little pain."

"I don’t think pain is the issue. It just feels too … intimate."

He laughed softly, the sound echoing under her ear that was pressed against him. "More intimate than this?"

He had her there. He was naked, for gods’ sake. But she didn’t want to move. He was warm, as warm as he had been as a wolf. It had felt wonderful to burrow into his soft fur. And the man—he felt great too. "I prefer feeding from strangers. I can go find someone else just fine."

"No!" His denial was absolute, as if the mere idea was repulsive to him.

Take the offer
.

Still she hesitated. "It can be pretty exhausting, you know, and you’re drained as it is."

He stiffened and she knew she had said the wrong thing. No man wanted to be reminded of their weaknesses. "I can handle it."

She was sorely tempted. Shifter blood was so potent that she wouldn’t even need much. She could smell it already, beckoning her. "If you’re sure—" The phone interrupted her.

Fu …
ck
.

Chapter Twelve

Cursing, Kieran reached for his jeans that were on the coffee table, neatly folded. Gemma sat up so that he could dig the phone from the pocket. She shivered for losing his warmth, feeling cold despite being fully clothed.

He sat up too, not ashamed of his nakedness, running fingers through his tousled auburn hair. She didn’t mind the view, though she only saw his back, lean and strong, wonderful to rest on. And scarred, she noticed, frowning. She hadn’t taken that close a look the previous times, but she was sure she would remember the red welts.

Teeth marks. What exactly had happened the previous evening?

He glanced at the screen and frowned before answering. "Yeah?"

Gemma could hear Jamie on the other end. "I need you back at the manor. The police are here about a shifter invading a golf course grounds last night. Looks pretty much like you."

"Fuck. Yeah, I can explain that. I’ll be right over."

"Good. And bring the girl." Jamie ended the call.

"Jamie wants us at the manor." He sounded apologetic. Gemma felt upset that their moment was interrupted, but she nodded.

"Okay. I’ll just go put on proper clothes." She was running out of clean clothes—she had prepared for only a short stay on the farm—but she should have some old ones in her wardrobe that would do. She rushed upstairs to clean up, and when she got back Kieran was dressed. Such a shame.

He caught her looking wistful and grinned. "I wouldn’t mind doing this again."

She felt her cheeks warm. "Yes, well…" She cleared her throat. "I should probably feed the animals first. Do you think the police will wait?"

"Better than the animals will. I’ll help."

With Kieran by her side, Amanda didn’t frighten her at all. The horse and pigs got fed in record time and soon they were riding on her ATV towards the meadow.

The sheep were all there, as were both dogs. She had been too tired, frightened, and sad to go check on them again last night. If the commotion on the farm had been only a diversion, the strange wolves could have killed all the sheep undisturbed while she sat at home.

The dogs greeted her enthusiastically when they got off the vehicle, and grief for Rissa returned afresh when she looked at her wonderful progeny. "I should have taken Rissa with me last night."

Kieran pulled her into an embrace. She had never been hugged as much as he had done this past day, and already it felt natural. She even craved it. "You knew her hips were bad. Home was the best place for her. You couldn’t know the wolves would return to taunt you."

She stiffened. He let her go when she pulled back and lifted a hand to her mouth to ward off a sudden nausea. "It was revenge."

"For what? For killing your sheep?"

"No…" She really should have told the clan about those men. "I met strange wolves yesterday and we had words. I thought they left, but they must have followed me home."

Kieran frowned. "It’s best we head to the manor. Now."

Two uniformed officers were waiting for Kieran and Gemma at Jamie’s office when they entered, the dogs at their heels. The men were sitting on old armchairs in front of a blazing fire, looking acutely uncomfortable. The fire wasn’t what was getting to them. It was Jamie, seated behind his desk by the windows. Humans had trouble maintaining their equilibrium around him in general. Two so young didn’t stand a chance.

The dogs had no problems with Jamie. They rushed to him and were rewarded with petting they enjoyed for a while before settling down at his feet.

The officers got up when they entered. "Took you long enough," one of them said to Kieran, trying to sound authoritative, but he was inexperienced and too much a submissive to make an impression. Kieran gave him a once over, letting Might flair—what precious little he had gained during the night. Humans couldn’t properly sense it, but combined with his dominance it made the officers draw into themselves a little. It was petty of him to frighten humans, but he wasn’t about to stop it.

"How may I help you, officers?"

"You were caught trespassing on Kingswood Golf Course last night."

Kieran lifted his brows. "Was I now?"

"Yes. Here’s a screen shot to prove it." The officer gave a piece of paper to Kieran, careful not to get too close to him.

Kieran took the paper print and studied the grainy black and white picture. However blurry the picture was, the man in it, standing naked front-first to the security camera, glowering with fury, was clearly him.

"Ooh, you look pretty when you’re naked," Gemma exclaimed, as if she hadn’t seen the real deal already, studying the picture over his arm.

Kieran laughed. "Do I? In that case, I’m sure I can oblige you with a private viewing later." She smiled, her dimples deep. He could have teased her forever to banish the gloom that had hung over her since she’d remembered Rissa’s fate. He felt grateful for her too, for defusing the situation with humour.

The officer wasn’t amused. "You admit it’s you then?"

"Of course." He went to give the picture back, but Gemma snatched it from him and put it in her pocket. He supressed a grin.

"And what were you doing there at that time of evening in the buff," the officer demanded, not trying to reclaim the evidence.

"Pretty difficult to carry clothes with you when you’re a wolf."

"Kieran." The rebuke didn’t come from his alpha, but from the woman by his side. There was laughter in her eyes, but her face was serious enough.