A Taste of Terror
Back Cover
When Cole Douglas is sent in search of a rogue werewolf, he thinks the mission will go off without a hitch like so many before. As a Guardian, it is Cole’s job to protect all living beings, mortal and immortal alike. But when sexy nurse/newly turned werewolf Chloe Dunn attacks him, his new mission takes a surprising turn as he learns that not only is she beautiful, she is his mate.
Refusing to acknowledge his destiny, Cole continues with his intended mission, only to find that the beautiful creature that attacked him is not only his one true mate but his ticket to finding the rogue werewolf he has been assigned to kill.
Despite the danger lurking all around them, Cole finds himself drawn to Chloe unlike any woman before. From her golden brown hair to her amber eyes, Cole realizes that even though he doesn’t think he is ready for a mate, just a look from her sets his blood on fire.
Chloe Dunn is just learning to live life as a werewolf when the scent of a stranger sends her into a frenzy and leads her to attack him. Cole is dangerous and wild, something she needs no part of but the overwhelming pull he has on her is more than she can bear. The more time she spends with him, the more she wants him, needs him and will do whatever it takes to have him, even if it means placing herself in the hands of the very rogue that turned her.
A Taste of Terror
by Chastity Bush
Published by MuseItHOT Publishing at Smashwords
Copyright 2010 Chastity Bush
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A Taste of Terror
Chastity Bush
Dedication
For my wonderful husband, John.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my husband and kids for not getting upset at me when my head is glued to the computer screen. I love you all more than words can say.
And thank you MuseItHot Publishing for taking a chance on my work.
Chapter One
He smelled different.
“Sniffing the air, she closed the cab's door and slowly turned toward the irresistible fragrance.
“Hey, lady, you coming or not?”
Ignoring the cabbie’s question, she eased away from the car. Reaching into her jeans pocket, she took out some money, and tossed it through the passenger side window onto the front seat, although she hadn't stepped foot inside the car.
The cab’s tires screeched slightly as it pulled away from the curb, but she barely noticed. Her thoughts were consumed with the intoxicating scent that had just passed her.
He smelled like spice, pure masculinity and something entirely different, something she couldn't place. The scent teased her senses, pulling her like a moth to a flame as she quickly fell into step behind him.
Silently, she followed him. His smell was unlike any she had ever experienced, not that she had a lot of experience as what she had become.
She had been attacked and turned three months before. Only small flashes of memory from that night remained….
Leaving the corner café, Chloe had walked the length of the block before someone had grabbed her. Before she could scream, he had bashed her in the skull.
Flashes of teeth and howling were all she could remember when she awoke on a bed of leaves in the forest the next morning.
A note beside her read:
We have few rules. Follow them.
1)Don’t tell humans what you are.
2)Don’t lose your head; it is now the only way you can die.
3)Don’t deny what you are.
For the next month she had wondered what the hell had happened to her and why she had woken up without as much as a scratch on her body, though her clothes were covered in blood. After much research and a cycle of the moon, Chloe came to the realization she was a creature of myths and legends. She was a werewolf.
Shaking away the memories of that night, she continued to follow the man through the quiet streets.
The late hour ensured there wouldn't be people about to witness her strange pursuit. After all, it seemed strange even to her that she was following this very large man when she herself was no more than five foot tall and completely unarmed.
His very presence screamed danger.
But she was hungry.
The woods, and the unsuspecting animals waiting there, had been her destination when the stranger had passed her by.While she didn't have to hunt, the feeling of being trapped, confined, and weak filled her if she didn't.
But the stranger’s scent was overwhelming, too tempting to pass up, and before she realized what she was doing, she found herself following him, breathing in his seductive scent. Every step brought her dangerously close to the intriguing stranger.
Chloe never intended to attack him. But the need to taste him filled her, fogging her mind to what she should and shouldn't do. Confusion pounded within her.
She had never attacked anyone, never wanted to…until now.
* * * *
Amber-gold eyes flashed in the darkness.
A low growl emanated from deep within the creature’s throat, reverberating on the cool night air. The sound carried to him, seeping into his skin, and sending a thrill of excitement into his blood.
He could hear its heart beating, pounding out a tattoo as it stalked him.
What this being didn't know was that he was no ordinary man. He was Cole
Douglas, a Guardian. He was bigger, stronger and faster than any other living thing walking the face of the planet. He was a product of the gods and while it was the job of the Guardians to protect all living beings, mortal and immortal alike, he had no qualms about killing a rogue if it came down to it.
Taking another glance behind him, he caught a quick glimpse of his follower. The full moon shone like a spotlight, illuminating her with its pale silver rays of light.
Werewolf. He smiled to himself.
If Cole had one weakness, it was female werewolves.
They were the only real competition for a Guardian when it came to a fight and more than that, the females were exceptionally beautiful.
However, her beauty didn’t matter if she was stalking him for dinner. Only a rogue would do such a thing, and in that case it was Cole’s job to take care of the situation.
No immortal on Earth was allowed to kill a human. Not for food, not for sport, not ever. It was too dangerous. Too easy to be discovered for what they truly were. Werewolves, vampires, demons. Name it and it existed. Despite the changing times and how popular immortals were at the moment, humans were fickle beings. In love with an idea one minute, cowering in fear of it the next. All it would take was the discovery of a vampire or were, and they would all be hunted and killed by scared, frightened humans.
Easing his hands out of his pockets, Cole continued to walk. The night air whipped about him, sending a chill across his skin. Pulling his leather jacket closer around him, he continued in a steady pace.
He was not afraid of her, not by any means. He was over three hundred years old, and the fact that this female was stalking him proved she was more than likely a new turn. If she were a rogue, she would know better than to stalk a Guardian. She obviously didn't know exactly what, or how dangerous, he was.
As she eased closer to him, her scent enveloped him. The scent of lilies and sex tickled his senses.
When the moon was full, it was prime time for weres to mate. The fact this one was still following him instead of hunting in the forest or mating was just another piece of evidence that she was indeed newly turned.
Forcing his legs to move, he continued forward.
Since the moment she had started tailing him, his body hadn't wanted to cooperate. When he wanted to speed up, his legs continued in the same languid pace. When he thought to turn and confront the woman, his body continued to face forward.
Only the gods could control his actions and strength so completely, and for a moment he thought maybe he had been wrong and she was not stalking him, only a new turn on her way to a hunt, or maybe even just curious about him.
But the surge of power that struck him consumed him, flowed through him and he knew she was something he would have to deal with. Obviously, the gods wouldn't supply the extra power he was feeling if he were not in for one hell of a fight. Their control of his actions was their way of protecting him.
* * * *
In an instant she was on him, shoving him to the ground, her elongated nails digging into his skin.
What am I doing? She screamed to herself but was unable to see past the need coursing through her body. She didn't want to kill him, only to taste him. To breathe in his scent, to taste his blood on her tongue just once. Why this need drove her to attack him, she didn't understand.
A thrill shot through her as she straddled his stomach, ripping at his shirt. Her heart pounded, sweat beaded her brow. Her blood boiled with raw need. She didn't know why she had been so moved as to attack this poor innocent man; she only knew she needed him…now.
* * * *
She was a small woman, and just like every other newly turned werewolf he had ever encountered, she was weak. He easily rolled her beneath him, pressing her to the pavement. His hands sought and seized both of hers, securing them above her head.
Still she fought him, thrashing her head from side to side. She pulled, trying to free her hands. Small fangs at the top and bottom of her full mouth flashed in the moon’s pale light.
Despite her attack on him, he couldn't help but notice her beauty. Her long golden brown hair whipped across her face as she struggled. Creamy skin peaked out from the neck of her blouse, pressing against his chest as he held her down.
“What a waste,” he whispered quietly; pulling out the long blade he kept at his hip.
An unfamiliar feeling blanketed him.
As she gazed up at him with glittering eyes, for the first time in his life, he didn't want to take a life. Despite her attack on him, he was having difficulty believing she was a rogue. There was something about her, something other than her beauty, which appealed to him. Something that made him pause in his actions, which he had never done.
But she was dangerous, she had attacked him and only a rogue would do such a thing.
He needed to end this quickly. There was no other option. She would attack people again and again and he couldn't allow that. No matter how beautiful she was, he couldn't allow her to live, to kill innocent people with every full moon.
Looking into her soft face, lined with an expression one could easily misread as fear, he sighed.
Sometimes this job sucks.
Chapter Two
She was terrified.
She had never intended to attack him and yet she had. Now he was on top of her, pressing her into the ground, his hard body heavy against her where he rested between her legs.
He was much bigger than she had realized.
Fiercely, she continued to struggle. Her previous driving need to taste his flesh, his blood, fled. Now, only the will to live remained.
I’m so stupid! She cried within, pulling to free her hands with no avail.
Why did I attack him? Since she had realized what she was and that first spark of hunger had hit her, she had been able to control it without difficulty. Why had this man tempted her so badly when no other human ever had?
His firm chest pressed her to the pavement. Even over her rising fear, his scent filled her. Waves of unwanted pleasure shot straight to her core as he secured her beneath him.
Tears filled her eyes as he pressed the knife to her throat.
She needed help. Hoping, praying someone was nearby to aid her in rescue, although she knew it was highly unlikely, she screamed.
* * * *
He couldn't move.
The blade stilled at her throat.
Again, he tried to pull the blade, to stop her incessant screaming, to end her reign of killing, but he couldn't.
Terror filled him. It was a foreign feeling for Cole. He couldn't remember ever being afraid, much less terrified,. His body shook with the emotion. The knife slid from his shaking hand, landing on the ground beside her head with a loud clink.
“What’s happening?” he whispered to himself, shakily.
Tears slid down his cheeks, dropping hot and wet onto the sensitive flesh of her chest. Fighting to regain control of his body, Cole reached for the knife once again, only to be paralyzed by another high pitched scream from the woman beneath him.
Waves of panic and fear coursed through his body, racking his limbs, chilling his blood.
“This can’t be happening.” He ground out the words from between clenched teeth.
Sudden realization filled his mind.
Guardians were led to their one true mate by her screams. When one’s intended was in a life threatening situation, the Guardian was immediately filled with her emotions and led straight to her. If the Guardian made it in time and saved the life of his companion, the new mate would be given immortality by the gods and it became the Guardian’s job to win her heart and protect her forever.
However, if the Guardian didn't make it in time and the mate was killed, the Guardian would live the remainder of his life alone. Being immortal, that could prove to be a very long, lonely time.
Shaking his head, Cole tried desperately to clear the haze of emotions clouding his mind.
How had this happened? Why had it happened? He was not like the other Guardians. He didn't want or need a mate, but here she was, in the flesh. There was no denying it, this werewolf was his.
“Who are you?” he asked breathlessly, his body slowly calming. The fear that had filled him eased from his body in small waves as some of the emotion she had been feeling slipped away.
“C-Chloe,” she stuttered between small sniffles.
She had calmed considerably and for that he was grateful. Her fear had hit him so hard he was still shaking, aching with the foreign feeling.
“Are you going to kill me?” she asked quietly, gazing up at him with glowing golden eyes.
She truly was beautiful. Her hair hung in loose brown waves over her shoulders.
Her little nose sat with a perfect tilt. Almond shaped eyes lined with the longest, blackest eyelashes gazed up at him and for a moment, all thought was lost.
“Not tonight…” he began, his voice a low husky whisper. “But if you ever attack another human….”
He could feel her tremble beneath him and he fought to suppress a shiver of his own. It had been a very long time since he had been with a woman, especially one as beautiful as the one currently pinned beneath him. Immediately his body reacted, his manhood swelling painfully as her scent filled his senses, teasing his arousal. Quickly he stood, pulling her with him.
Taking slow, deep breaths, he struggled to calm himself. Despite the arousal he could feel pouring off of her, he was sure she wouldn't appreciate feeling his obvious desire rubbing so intimately against her at a time like this.
“I haven’t ever attacked a human,” she began.
“You attacked me.” Cole interrupted sharply.
“Yes, I did.” She looked ashamed, twisting her hands in front of her. “I don’t know why I did that. You just smelled so good.” She tried to explain.
Nodding his head, he sighed.
Now that he knew what they were to each other, he understood why she had attacked him. She was indeed newly turned; she didn't understand the hunger she had been consumed by was not a hunger for food, but for something entirely different.
“How long have you been a were?” he asked.
“How do you…”
* * * *
“Just answer the question.”
Looking into his emerald green eyes, she shook her head. She hadn't noticed before how truly beautiful he was. Blond hair swept across his forehead and just barely brushed the collar of his jacket. He gazed down at her intensely, his expression one of irritation laced with another emotion she couldn't place.
Now that he no longer held the knife to her throat, she had become still beneath him. Focusing on his face as he gazed down at her, she couldn't miss the mixture of disappointment and surprise clouding his features.
Taking a deep breath, she fought to calm herself.
“A-about, three months,” she answered distractedly. She couldn't seem to pull her thoughts together. His broad shoulders and expansive chest led down to a trim waist and thickly muscled legs encased in a pair of faded old jeans. His very presence distracted her, tempted her to do things she would normally never do. He was trouble.
From his dangerous demeanor, to his sinfully sexy looks he was first class trouble.
And she wanted him.
Chapter Three
He watched as she devoured him with her eyes. Electricity filled he air and he groaned inwardly.
He didn't need this—not right now. He was in town for a job. He could deal with her after he was finished, but until then, he needed to get as far away from her as possible. All her presence would do was distract him and that was something he could ill afford. Distraction was what got his kind killed.
He knew one day soon he would have to face the truth—to tell her what they were to each other. But until that time, he was going to continue living his life as he had and keep a close eye on her.
He would protect her. While he didn't want or need her right now, that didn't mean he wouldn't want her in the future. She was his one and only mate. The time would come when he was ready to claim her, to settle down and have a family. Now was just not the time.
His body hummed. A need as hot as fire surged throughout him, pressing him, begging him to take her, to claim her right there. Slowly, he reached into his heavy black leather jacket. Pulling out a white card, he handed it to her. He watched as she reached out slowly, taking the card from him.
“Cole Douglas.” She read the thick, bold script.
“My number is on the back…if you need anything.”
Shaking his head quickly, he turned and continued down the street.
* * * *
Blinking in surprise, she shook her head. “So, you almost killed me and now you are giving me your number?” she called after him.
She sighed.
Is he serious?
She had to admit, she had been the one to start the altercation, but really, was he that dumb?
“That’s one hell of a pick up line,” she finished mumbling to herself.
Smiling, Cole turned. “I know what you are, and obviously your maker hasn’t taught you everything you need to know to survive as a were. You can call me if you have any questions about your…condition,” he finished lamely, with a wave of his hand.
“Are you a werewolf?” she asked curiously, her eyebrows drawing together slightly.
“No.” He shook his head, a crooked smile tilting the edge of his mouth.
Their eyes met. A clash of green and gold. Heat, power, and energy filled the air around them.
She watched in silence as he disappeared from sight. A million questions rolled through her mind.
Dusting herself off, she turned and headed back toward her apartment. There were steaks in the fridge; they would have to do.
What in the hell just happened? she asked herself, as the memory of Cole’s emerald green eyes flashed in her mind.
* * * *
“Damn it, not again!”
Stomping to the far wall of her living room, Chloe raised her fist.
“Knock it off!” she bellowed, her fist pounding loudly against the wall.
After a long moment and a very loud moan, the sounds stopped.
Chloe had lived in this apartment for the last year, and in that time the apartment next to hers had seen its fair share of occupants; the aspiring actor who dressed like the Wolfman during the entire week of Halloween; an elderly lady with a dozen cats; Hippy Dave whose incense one could smell throughout the entire building; and, most recently, Diana and George A.K.A. ‘The Neighborhood Nymphos.’
Satisfied now that the moaning and groaning had ceased, she walked back to the kitchen and to the waiting rare steak.
It had been two weeks since her encounter with the stranger. Still, his presence lingered, haunting her as if he were with her, watching her every move, listening to her every sound. It was odd, this feeling of being watched, but surprisingly not uncomfortable. She knew it was silly. He was gone. Yet she felt protected, as if she had her own personal bodyguard.
Retaking her seat, she finished her meal. Despite the heavy steak she just devoured, she still felt hungry. But this hunger was one she had never felt before and no matter how much she ate, it wouldn't dissipate.
Rising, she crossed to the window and pulled the cord to close the blinds, her mind tumbling back to that night.
She was much stronger than before, but apparently not as strong as she thought.
Cole had been able to overpower her so easily it was disturbing.
“He has to be one of us,” she mumbled to herself. She had taken down deer, bobcats and mountain lions while out on a hunt, and yet this man, this stranger, had been able to secure her hands with only one of his, was able to pin her to the ground so completely she had been unable to move a muscle.
How?
She walked to the bathroom. It was no use thinking about Cole; he was better off forgotten. She would only drive herself crazy trying to answer questions to which she would never find the answer.
“I don’t even know what he is!” she grumbled to herself as she gathered her robe and towels. She started the shower.
He had to be one of them. He had to be a werewolf…or did he? If werewolves existed, other creatures probably did as well. The only thing stopping her from being certain which species he belonged was her lack of knowledge on the subject.
Quickly she showered and slipped into a thin sleep shirt.
The reason she had attacked him remained a mystery. She had no problem killing animals while on a hunt, but never before had she ever felt the slightest urge to attack a human. After all, she had been a human not so long ago.
A chill crept over her skin and spread the length of her body. Her skin tingled; goose bumps dotted her skin.
Walking to the window, she looked out over the street below. Gazing into the cold, dark night, she sighed.
The trees swayed to the rhythm of the blowing winter wind, their leaves landing on the sidewalks before tumbling aimlessly into the streets.
Lately, she felt like those leaves—as if she were tumbling through life without aim, without direction, without a purpose or reason.
Since her sister Genie died last year, life had been a roller coaster ride. Genie had been the only family Chloe had. Their parents, irresponsible as they had been, left Genie and Chloe on their own when Genie was eighteen and Chloe, sixteen. For the next ten years, the sisters had taken care of each other. They both worked two jobs while fighting to finish nursing school. Then one night, Genie walked into a convenience store after the late shift at the hospital and been killed in an attempted robbery.
Since that night, life hadn't been the same for Chloe. As always, Genie had made sure Chloe had been taken care of; it shouldn't have been a big surprise that Genie had taken out a large life insurance policy and named Chloe as the beneficiary. But that didn't stop Chloe from continuing to work at the hospital. Work helped keep her mind off of the lonely apartment she would walk into when the day was done.
Hugging herself tighter, Chloe let her eyes scan the street below.
A dark shadow caught her eye.
“No way,” she whispered aloud.
Stepping closer to the window, she looked harder, but he was there. His long muscular body leaned against the tree directly across from her window. Cole was mostly hidden, almost completely obscured in the shadows, but she had no doubt that it was him.
Cole lurking beneath her windows in the dead of night? But why?
* * * *
“What in the hell am I doing?” he asked himself irritably, shoving his hands deeper into his pockets.
Since the night he had met Chloe, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her, couldn't stop seeing her soft, pale face, and her glittering golden eyes. She was in his every thought, his every dream.
He shouldn't be here; he should be meeting with the boss and getting the details of his assignment, but instead here he was, watching Chloe like a love struck youth.
He couldn't keep himself from her. She was like a drug. With only one look, one feel of her soft body beneath him, he was addicted.
Every night since he had met her, after he had followed her home, he had found himself standing beside the very tree he leaned against now, watching as she gazed out at the stars, her beautiful features so lost and forlorn.
Gazing up at her window one last time, he sighed.
The wind blew wildly about him; the street lights flickered as energy filled the air, filling him, pushing him to her.
He hadn't intended for her to see him. It would only give her more questions about him, but she had. From the look on her face, he knew she had spotted his shadow.
She stared at him in complete disbelief before a slight smile curved her full lips.
Blinking in surprise, he smiled back as she raised her hand and waved.
He couldn't believe that she had actually waved at the stranger who had nearly killed her, who was now lurking beneath her bedroom window. But then again, she was just as drawn to him as he was to her. He was her mate and he wouldn't be the only one plagued by erotic dreams or distracted at the most inopportune times.
Schooling the smile curving his lips, he pushed away from the tree and walked away.
Chapter Four
“It’s about damn time you showed up,” Meecham said irritably, flicking another paper onto his desk. “There have been more developments since we last spoke.” He peered up at Cole, through piercing evergreen eyes. His inky black hair hung in loose waves to his shoulders over the collar of his crisp white dress shirt.
Striding into the room, Cole took a deep breath.
Meecham Bells was the oldest living Guardian in existence, having lived more than three thousand years. He was an impressive and somewhat intimidating man whose advanced years made him much larger and stronger than any of the other Guardians Cole had ever met
Cole stood six and a half foot, yet even he had to incline his head slightly to look the man in the eye.
“What exactly are we talking about here?” Cole asked, taking a seat in the large leather chair across from Meecham.
When he had first received the call to come to the city, he had only been told that he would be on a solo mission, nothing more. Now that he was sitting face to face with the leader of their kind, second only to the gods, he was more than curious.
“About six months ago, we picked up several trails of what we thought were rogue werewolves, only to discover that they were not rogue at all.”
At Cole’s look of confusion, Meecham continued. “They were newly turned. Their maker had left them to discover what they were on their own…and they were all female.”
Shaking his head, Cole sighed. “That is cruel. They would no doubt attack a human if not taught the laws of our world and how to properly feed themselves, and then they would suffer the guilt of their actions.” Memories from the night before flitted through his mind but ruthlessly he pushed them away. He didn't need Chloe clouding his thoughts. Not now.
“Exactly,” Meecham stated matter-of-factly, leaning back in the deep, brown leather chair.
Cocking a brow, Cole wondered, “Do you think that is what the were who turned them intended?”
Meecham shook his head and groaned. “We can’t be sure, but yes, that is what we think. There are many out there who just cannot stay on this side of our laws, ones who always feel as if they have to ‘rule the world’ so to speak.”
“You want me to find out who is turning these girls and stop him.”
“Yes. We also want you to keep an eye on one of the girls in particular. She hasn’t attacked anyone as of yet but this rogue seems to have a special interest in her, for what reason we do not know. He was spotted following her a month after we discovered that she existed.”
“Why didn’t you capture him then?”
“It was broad daylight. Capturing him would have exposed us and there would have been a bigger mess than there already is.” He cleared his throat. “We did give chase, only to lose him in the alleys of the city.”
“Catch a rogue, watch a girl.” Cole’s lips rose to a smile, only to fall as quickly as they had risen.
It can’t be…
Newly turned weres. All female. Only one to guard.
Suddenly dread filled him. This couldn't be happening.
“What’s her name?” he asked warily.
Was it possible that his Chloe was one of this rogue’s newly abandoned turns?
Since when is she my Chloe? It had only been a couple of weeks and he was already thinking of her as his.
“Chloe Dunn. She lives in the apartment building on the corner of Daisymain and Second Street, number 243 on the second floor.”
He didn't need this, not the distraction of his mate fogging his mind.
Sweat formed on his brow. His skin dotted with goose bumps. There was no getting away from her; she was now his job. His plan was ruined. There would be no avoiding Chloe now. He had to face her and he knew where that would lead him; the same place it had led his partner Zack and all of their other Guardian friends.
He would fall in love and quit working.
He would always be a Guardian; he just wouldn't work cases as he had been doing all of his life. Instead he would be in a big house somewhere, no rogue chasing, no danger. Only Chloe pressed beneath him on a soft bed…. That last thought didn't sound so bad, but the others…. He didn't like the idea of losing his freedom.
“Something wrong?” Meecham asked, leaning forward and placing his forearms on the desk. His smooth features were slightly twisted with worry.
Despite Meecham’s advanced years, he had yet to find his mate. For reasons unknown, the gods hadn't yet seen fit to give him one.
Just being in Meecham’s presence, Cole could feel the loneliness that radiated from him.
Thinking it unwise to tell Meecham of his finding a mate and not wanting her, he shook his head. No need to pour salt in the man’s wound.
“No, no nothing. I will get started.” Pushing away from the desk, Cole stood as
Meecham did the same.
“Keep your distance from the girl unless it is unavoidable. Just make sure that she does not attack anyone, and most of all, keep your eyes peeled. Whoever turned her wants her for something. When he comes for her, it may be our only chance to take him down.”
“You got it.”
He might not want Chloe at the moment, but he would be damned if he let anyone else have her. He would be ready for a mate in the future and she was undoubtedly his. Whoever wanted to cause her any harm would have to go through him. He was her Guardian.
* * * *
“Elevate that leg, and then take him up to x-ray. Gervais is waiting.”
“I’m on it,” Chloe answered quickly.
Shifting the unconscious man’s leg into a hanging sling, Chloe sighed. She had worked the emergency room for eight days straight, and although she needed a day off, the prospect of sitting home alone was one she couldn't tolerate. She had lived her entire life with Genie; this was her first go at living alone and so far it was not going well, so work it was.
After placing the I.V. bag on the bed next to the patient, she pushed the bed from behind the long, green, dividing curtains and toward the elevator at the end of the hall.
Being a nurse, Chloe had seen it all, or so she had thought. But now that she was a werewolf, she couldn't help but to wonder just how many ‘others’ she had seen in the years she had been helping people in this E.R.
Worse, she wondered how many of the people she had treated had been victims of her kind? How many had came in as John or Jane Does, only to be written off by the doctors as victims a robbery, or a hit and run, or an assault?
Then again, maybe ‘others’ were not all that violent.
The thought eased some of her worry. She had never attacked anyone, with the exception of Cole and that was a freak accident. It had been something over which she had no control and still to this day, no explanation.
Since that night she had caught herself sniffing every person that walked by, discreetly of course. But not one of them had a scent even remotely close to the rich, thick, intoxicating aroma that belonged to Cole. The scent lingered on her skin, filling her mind with his image.
Her attack on Cole had scared her. She had worried that she wouldn't be able to control her hunger any longer, but to her surprise, she hadn't been even a little tempted to attack anyone else.
It must be something about Cole himself that had tugged at her control. She asked herself if another of her kind would be able to control themselves if they came into contact with Cole? She certainly hadn't.
The ding of the elevator opening before her brought her back to the present.
Rolling the gurney into the elevator, she hit the button for the fifth floor. Looking down at her patient, she sighed irritably. He had a broken leg, arm and clavicle, numerous cuts, scrapes, road rash and, because his helmet hadn't been found, possible head trauma all courtesy of a motorcycle versus truck incident or an MVA as they called it.
But what irked her was not the man’s injuries; she had seen this a hundred times before. No, it was how much his sandy blond hair and large muscular build reminded her of Cole.
The fact that he haunted her thoughts the way he did disturbed her. Not a day had passed since the night she had met him that she hadn't had to concentrate twice as hard to do her job. Not a single night had passed without a sinfully sexy dream of the two of them together.
And things had only gotten worse since she had spotted him outside her bedroom window two nights ago. Just how long had he been there watching her? Since she had attacked him? Was his presence what she had been feeling since that first night?
“Get over it, girl,” she groaned to herself.
She had a job to do, and thinking about a man she didn’t even know was not going to help her any.
The elevator stopped with a slight jolt and the doors opened. A tingle crept up her spine ever so slowly.
Stepping out into the hallway, she peered about. The freshly waxed floors gleamed brightly at her. The soft hum of the overhead light, and the clicks and pops of medical equipment were the only sounds that greeted her.
Would you just calm down? She berated herself.
She was being paranoid. She had been since the night she had been turned.
Although she couldn't remember much from that night, the knowledge that she was now something she had never believed in, scared her. If she could be turned into a werewolf, what else could happen? What else was out there that she should be afraid of?
Stepping out into the bright lights of the hallway, she pulled the gurney from the elevator and headed left down the hall toward x-ray, images of Cole’s emerald green eyes lingering in her memory. Why was she unable to push him from her mind?
She had only two hours of her shift left; then she could ponder her irritating attraction to Cole Douglas at home in peace. Until then, she had a job to do. Steeling herself against any and all thoughts of Cole Douglas, she approached the large green metal door leading into the x-ray room and pressed the buzzer.
A soft click sounded as the door opened slowly.
“Man, you look beat.”
“Thanks,” she answered sarcastically, looking up into the always smiling face of Gervais Mills.
“How many days is this?” he asked lightly. “Eight? Nine?”
Pressing the heavy metal door open further, he took one end of the gurney as they both worked to push the patient into the room.
“Eight,” Chloe chuckled. “But I’m off for the next three days so it’s all good.”
Shaking his bald head, Gervais smiled.
He and Genie had been a couple for three years before she died. He had become the big brother Chloe never had. Chloe had been certain that he would ask Genie to marry him, but before he had been given the chance, she had been killed.
Since her death, Gervais had decided to take over where Genie had left off and kept a close eye on Chloe. He had also taken to working more hours than necessary since Genie’s death, just as Chloe had. She couldn't blame him; being alone was not something she could tolerate.
“You work too much, you know that?” he asked gently, his head tilted slightly to the side.
“Better than going home to an empty apartment,” she mumbled.
Gervais nodded his head sadly. “Yeah, it is. Why don’t you get a dog or something?” He changed the subject quickly, a smile replacing the flash of sadness that had clouded his features.
“Ugh,” she groaned, rolling her eyes playfully. If he only knew.
Gervais chuckled.
“Is this the MVA?” he asked, pointing to the man on the gurney.
“Sure is. Here is his chart.” Chloe sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as she was prone to do when she was tired or had something on her mind.
Taking notice, Gervais asked, “Why don’t you go on home? I’ll wheel him back to the E.R. when we finish here.”
Thinking for a long moment, she nodded. Gervais had been working every bit as much as she had been; it was not fair to put her work off on him. But knowing Gervais, he wouldn't let this go. Reluctantly, she gave in. “Okay. I have a couple of charts to finish before I can go anyway; it would be a big help.”
“No problem, lil’ sis.” He chuckled warmly.
“Thanks. Now I might be able to get home before four a.m.”
“But you get off at two? That would have to take more than a couple of charts to keep you four more hours,” he said knowingly.
“Exactly.” She grinned. She had a lot more than a couple, but they had been busy, and every time she sat down to complete them, there was some dire emergency she had to assist with.
Gervais waved as she backed through the door into the hallway.
The hospital seemed eerily quiet to Chloe as she walked the few short steps to the elevator. Only the sound of several pieces of medical equipment reached her ears.
Gazing quickly about the empty hall, she took a deep breath.
“I need to get some sleep,” she grumbled to herself. “Before long, I’ll be jumping at my own shadow.”
Pressing the down arrow on the wall, she waited.
A strong chill traveled the length of her spine. Turning slightly to the left, she peered down the length of the hall. Only the large double doors greeted her sight.
“Paranoid freak,” she chided herself, reaching forward to press the down button repeatedly.
It was taking an unusually long amount of time for the elevator to reach her floor.
She hit the button again.
Her ears twitched, as she noticed they had started to do when something was about to happen. A strange scent reached her nose. Sniffing the air, Chloe sighed with pleasure as an intoxicating aroma filled her. For a split second she wondered if Cole were lurking close by. But somehow, she knew that that was not the case.
It was oddly familiar, this aroma currently spiraling around her. It was strong and alluring, yet not in the same manner as Cole’s had been. Sniffing the air once again, she turned back to the left, but this time the doors at the end of the hallway were not the only thing that greeted her eyes.
Chapter Five
“What in the hell is the matter with this thing?” Cole complained, pressing the brightly lit number on the wall.
“Where are you?” Ian’s voice boomed from the phone.
Cole, along with his partners and fellow Guardians, Ian McFarlane and Zack Kingston, had been hunting down and bringing rogues of all species to justice for over three hundred years, and during that time they had grown as close as brothers. Only recently, Zack had found his mate and settled down, and Ian, for reasons Cole couldn't understand, had taken a vacation.
“In an elevator at the hospital,” Cole answered irritably. He pressed the button yet again.
Despite his desire to stay as far away from Chloe Dunn as possible, he couldn't deny that she was possibly the key to breaking his case wide open. If Meecham believed she was of importance to his finding the rouge, then she was.
Besides, he thought to himself, it can’t hurt to get to know the girl.
“Why?” Ian laughed.
“Chloe works here as a nurse in the emergency room. Meecham believes that she is one of the rogue’s new turns, and he has asked me to watch her while I look for him. He believes that this rogue has a special interest in her.”
“I thought you didn’t want anything to do with her?” Ian teased in his thick Scottish accent.
Cole had of course told Ian all of the details regarding Chloe being his mate and the case he had been assigned. As always, Ian had his own opinion as to what Cole should do about his current situation.
“I don’t, not yet. But I believe Meecham is correct and if I can catch this guy, then I can face what to do with Chloe.” He growled at Ian’s teasing. But he couldn't lie to himself.
The more days that passed, the more he found himself wanting her, wanting to see just one more glimpse of her face, to smell her skin once more, to feel her beneath him…. She had been in his every thought since the night she had attacked him. Her scent lingered on his skin; her deep, amber gold eyes filled his mind; nothing he did could make him forget her.
Rubbing a hand over his unshaven face, he groaned. Sleep had been near impossible with dreams of her writhing beneath him filling every hour. Not a night had passed that he hadn't awoke to a raging erection and the scent of her skin swirling about him. It was the gods, he knew, pushing him to claim her.
“You can’t fight it; you have to claim her,” Ian had warned. “You will drive yourself mad if you continue to fight what the gods want.”
He knew Ian was right, but he was stubborn. He would take her in his own time and not a second before. His life was his to decide.
“The elevator is about to stop. I’ll call you later.”
“Remember, we are given only one,” Ian replied quickly.
Stepping out of the elevator, something caught his attention.
Chloe. Dressed in a pair of green scrubs just like the ones he had seen so often on television, she was walking toward the end of the hallway.
“Chloe!”
She continued to walk as if she hadn't heard him. Again he called her name.
“Chloe, I need to speak with you.” Still she continued on in the same languid pace, oblivious to his call.
“What the hell is wrong with her?” he growled.
Quickly she disappeared.
Turning, Cole started toward the doors, still swinging where Chloe had entered them.
“Irritating woman,” he grumbled.
Instantly, his skin tingled. His heart began to pound. Stopping just feet from the door, he listened carefully. Nothing but the sound of machines reached his ears, but something was wrong. Something had his senses on high alert.
Then it came. The high pitched sound of Chloe’s scream. He knew it was her—the sound was imprinted inside him, a sound he would never forget.
Immediately he sprang forward, crashing through the doors.
Chloe stood with her back against the wall, her hands held above her head. A man towered over her, smelling her. She pulled, struggling to be free of the man’s tight hold.
Cole knew immediately that this man pressing his Chloe painfully against the wall was his rogue werewolf, Chloe's maker. Of all other beings in the immortal world, weres were the most closely matched to Guardians in size and strength. Ultimately, the Guardians were stronger, but if the were was advanced in years, even with the gods providing extra strength to the Guardian, it was still a dangerously close fight.
Chloe shrieked again as the man pressed his nose to the bend of her neck just above her collarbone.
It took only a moment for Cole to realize what the man was doing.
He’s scenting her!
Was it possible that she was not only his mate but possibly the mate to this were?
When hell freezes over.
A burning anger filled him, reaching the very depths of his soul.
Lunging forward, Cole grabbed the man by his jacket, ripping him away from Chloe.
“This is none of your business, Guardian,” the man said as he rose from the floor, dusting himself off.
“I beg to differ,” Cole replied darkly. His eyes sparkled in the overhead light as he finally turned from her to face her attacker.
“I believe this one to be mine, Guardian.”
“No. Not now, not ever,” Cole answered severely.
Cole had been in more fights than he could count but this one was different. He felt more powerful than ever before. A deep, dark desire to kill the man clawed at him like a hungry lion. Only the image of this man holding Chloe captive remained in his mind’s eye, burning him like a fire that raged out of control within.
“We’ll see about that.” The stranger growled low in his throat.
* * * *
What is he doing here? She stared into the emerald green eyes of her savior.
Cole stood before her, his muscles rippling beneath his tight white T-shirt, his face set in a hard expression. For a moment, he reminded her of a statue she had once seen of an avenging angel. His eyes bored into her, their emerald green depths glistening, sending a burning sense of need rocketing through her.
Chloe’s skin tingled as if a million microscopic lightening bolts were striking her repeatedly.
The stranger cocked his head to the side; his eyes roamed her body hungrily.
Before Chloe had time to blink, the two men collided, Cole’s fist smashing the other man’s face with a force she couldn't have imagined. Still the other man rose, fangs flashing, claws ripping the air before Cole.
She couldn't breathe; the air around her was so heavy, so thick with a feeling that she couldn't identify. She feared for a moment that she would suffocate. But she couldn't stop watching as the men before her continued to fight. The sound of bones breaking echoed in her ears. Blood ran from the stranger’s face and body.
In a flash, the stranger lashed out at Cole’s chest.
Blood ran from the four gruesome, gaping wounds in his chest and side.
“Cole!” Chloe cried out in horror. She could see his ribs peeking from the wounds and fear threaded its way through her.
She watched in shock as he tossed the man with ease against the far wall of the room. The man’s head hit the hard tile floor with a sickening thud.
Gods he is strong, Cole thought to himself, as he dodged the were’s claws that slashed at his head and neck as he came at Cole again.
Cole was in trouble. Watching in terror as he fell to the floor, Chloe felt helpless.
The other man dove on top of him, his claws tearing into the taught flesh. Looking around frantically, Chloe scanned the room for a weapon, something to help Cole defeat the crazy man slashing away at him.
She needed to do something but what? She was just a….
Realizing that she was not just some petite human any longer, Chloe charged into action, diving onto the stranger’s back. Immediately she felt her teeth shift, her fangs lengthen, her nails grow. She felt powerful, stronger than ever before as if some unseen force was fueling her, pushing her forward with one and only one mission.
Save Cole.
* * * *
One good swipe of those dangerously elongated fingernails and Cole could kiss his head and his future with Chloe goodbye.
Pushing forward, fighting with all the strength he possessed, Cole punched the man. The sound of his nose breaking under Cole’s fist eased the pain coursing through him. Before he could catch himself, Cole slipped. The blood beneath his feet sent him flying onto the floor and the incredibly strong were, seeing his opportunity to take control, followed down on top of him.
Suddenly, Cole was free. His attacker was gone in a flash, ripped away from him with a blur of movement.
Sitting up quickly, he blinked, unable to believe the scene playing out before his eyes.
Chloe, in all of her ferocious glory, bit and clawed at the stranger as he dodged, trying his best to take the least of the punishment she was dishing out. Something else that gave Cole pause was the strange fact that the were was not fighting back. He simply let Chloe tear away at him, another sign that Cole was right in his previous assessment that somehow Chloe was also the mate to this rogue were.
Cole watched in amazement as she fought to save his life, risking her own as she did so. Of course, Ian and Zack had risked their lives to save him at one time or another but this was different. Somehow, seeing Chloe fight to save his life meant more to him than his partners’ attempts ever had.
An angry howl ripped through the air, jerking Cole back from his musings.
In a flash, the stranger reached out, shoving Chloe away from him forcefully, before darting out of the room through the same doors Cole had just entered moments before. Blood poured from a gaping wound in his neck.
Cole rushed to the far wall where Chloe lay unconscious. Kneeling beside her, he lifted her head, setting it gently in his lap. Fear threaded through him, chilling his blood. He knew she was not dead. She couldn't die unless she lost her head but still the sight of her unconscious, blood covering her clothing and smeared on her face, troubled Cole more than he could have ever imagined.
Gently, he brushed a strand of hair from her face. A small groan bubbled from her throat.
“Chloe?” he asked quietly, running a thumb across her forehead and down her cheek.
Blinking, she gazed up into Cole’s face.
“Cole?” she asked uncertainly.
“Are you all right?”
Sitting up slowly, she reached to feel the tender spot on the back of her head.
“Just a little sore, I think I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m more worried about you,” she said quickly, reaching out to pull what was left of his T-shirt away from the deep lacerations marring his chest.
“What the…”
“They’re almost gone?” she wondered aloud. “What in the hell are you?” She asked, rubbing the tips of her fingers across what looked like four fading scars.
* * * *
Cole shivered under her tender touch. Her fingertips gently brushed over the wounds to his chest. The heat of her touch burned through him, pleasure weaving its way throughout his body. He had never experienced this kind of raw need for a woman, never felt such powerful desire for someone as he did for Chloe.
“Well?” she asked with exasperation as she stood, placing her hands on her hips.
“Well, what?” His mind was still lost in the pleasure of her touch.
“What…are…you?” she enunciated slowly.
Struggling to hide a smile, Cole stood, pulling what was left of his shirt over his head before tossing it into the trash can.
Grinning, Cole watched the irritation so clearly on Chloe’s face fade as her eyes roamed the length of his body.
“Do I meet your approval?” Cole teased.
It was as if he could feel her eyes on his bare flesh, burning a trail over every inch they covered. He could smell her need for him; he could see it in the expressions flickering across her face. For a moment he was severely tempted to throw her to the ground and take her, to claim her but his good sense prevailed. This was not the time and definitely not the place. Instead, the need to tease her had won out.
Cole watched as she schooled her features. The flicker of embarrassment faded, only to be replaced by irritation.
“You’re a kind of an ass you know that?” she stated bluntly, her golden eyes glittering in the bright lights.
She was serious, he noted and he fought to hide the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“So, I have been told.”
“I take it that you are not going to answer my question?”
“Not here.”
“Well, seeing as I need some answers as to what just happened here,” she said, waving her hands at the mess surrounding them, “where will you tell me what I need to know?”
He had intended to tell her about his assignment and what part she played in it. He had even intended to tell her what he was and answer whatever it was that she needed to know about her own kind. That had been his reason for coming to the hospital to begin with. He had first thought to catch her at her home but, after watching her apartment for nearly a week, it seemed that she was at work more than she was at home.
“Your place.”
Nodding her head, she agreed.
“There is only one problem.”
“What is that?” he asked.
“How are we both going to get out of here? I’m covered with blood and you are half naked. Don’t you think that that might draw some attention?”
Looking around the room, he spotted a door along the farthest wall with a large exit sign hanging above it.
“Where does this lead?” he asked, looking back over his shoulder at her.
“It’s a fire exit; my guess would be that it leads out onto…a fire escape,” she finished sarcastically.
“You are a bit of a smartass, you know that?”
“So, I have been told.” She repeated his earlier words.
He nodded. “Well then,” he said, striding back to stand in front of her. His chest was only inches from hers. “Let’s go.”
He reached down and hooked his arm around her waist, lifting her over his shoulder.
“What in the hell are you doing?” she squealed.
“We need to move fast,” he answered lightly, as if that explained why she was currently slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
“I can walk,” she complained, wriggling about.
The feel of her thighs beneath his palms sent heat straight to his groin. The sight of her ass next to his face, wriggling as he carried her to the exit, tortured him, begged him to reach up and squeeze the firm globes in his hands.