In Heat (In Heat Shapeshifter Romance Series #1) Page 15

  “Can you feel that?” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

  “Feel what?” She tried to pull away from him again.

  “Look at me. Don't fight me. Look at me.”

  She did, but only because he'd again said something from one of her fantasies.

  She stilled, staring into his eyes and forgetting her struggle to get her hand free.

  He whispered, “Can you feel me?”

  She swallowed.

  “I'm touching you...of course I can—”

  “Feel me.” He cut her off, narrowing his eyes on hers.

  She stared into them and, in a split-second, she was lost and there was only him in the world. The silence filled her head and then it was chased away by the sound of her heart beating.

  No.

  It wasn't her heart.

  It was his. She could hear it, feel it thundering beneath his chest. She could sense his heat and his hunger.

  She could feel him.

  She snatched her hand back, shocked by what she'd experienced.

  “Is this some trick?” she said, voice trembling as she clutched her hand to her chest, her gaze still locked with his.

  “I dream of you,” he whispered and her eyes widened. Shocked became stunned and confused. “But the dreams didn't prepare me for the reality of us.”

  She blinked, and then did the only thing she could think of.

  Throwing her arms about his neck, she kissed him, releasing all the feelings she'd been holding inside and letting them flood her as she struggled to make sense of the world. Suddenly, she realised she didn't care. She didn't understand how he'd made her feel him, or how she'd seen herself standing in front of the house. She didn't care about anything but feeling Erik's arms holding her tightly and his lips moving in a sweet, tender kiss against hers.

  She frowned when he stopped her. She caught the look in his eyes. He was holding back again.

  “I'm sorry,” she said in a quiet voice and composed herself.

  “It wasn't wrong.” His fingers brushed against her cheek and she looked up at him.

  “Do you really dream about me?” She loved the feeling of his touch—light and tender. He nodded. “I dream about you...before I met you.”

  He smiled, as though he already knew that.

  “How?” she said.

  He slid his arm around her, leading her down the steps towards the garden. He sighed and she looked up at him as they walked.

  “It happens sometimes. Don't question it.” He was staring into the distance.

  She decided he was right. It was best not to question some things. She glanced into the maze as they passed it.

  Was the panther in there now?

  She looked at Erik.

  Or was it out here?

  CHAPTER 17

  This was nice.

  And it was going better than he'd thought it would.

  Erik smiled down at Kim. She was walking beside him, her eyes darting about as they took everything in. They were heading towards the woods, skirting the perimeter of the garden. His favourite spot to look at the house from was coming up. There was a wide rectangular pond with a tall fountain in the centre of it. It was a beautiful view in all directions from there, but it made the house in particular look stunning.

  He wanted her to see it in its best light so she'd understand just why he was willing to sign that contract.

  “So you get the house if you agree to his terms?” Her conversation had been all business since the revelation that they shared dreams about each other. He knew she was avoiding having to think about that, and how it was possible.

  He looked over his shoulder at the house.

  He didn't want to talk business. He wanted to find a way to make her understand the connection between them and everything that had happened. She'd seen through his eyes, and he'd seen through hers. The bonding between them had started, and they were beginning to run out of time to mate.

  Brushing his hair back into place with his fingers, he remembered the feel of her hands in his fur. She'd been so brave, petrified at first, but then so relaxed around him in his panther form. He'd been surprised by how quickly she'd found the courage to stroke him, to rub him behind the ear, and he knew that there had been a moment of recognition within her. She had a suspicion now, brought about by the things that happened in their dreams and by the way he'd reacted when she'd tickled behind his ear in the shower. He never hid who he was. He couldn't.

  If she tickled him behind the ear right now, he'd have a hard time stopping himself from purring.

  It was one hell of a weak spot.

  If she did stay with him, she'd have a power over him with that. Anything she wanted, she could get by tickling him there.

  His senses pricked. He glanced across at Kim and found her looking at him. It was probably her stirring them. She always did when she was this close.

  “I don't get the house exclusively,” he said, answering her earlier question as they reached the fountain.

  “You get a share?”

  He nodded. “In exchange for half of my company.”

  Her eyes widened. “Is that wise? I mean, can't Alistair stage some kind of takeover if he owns more than half of it?”

  “I'm the only shareholder. He couldn't own more than half. I'll have fifty-one percent of the company and he has fifty-one percent of the house. We're not splitting things equally. I wouldn't agree to that.”

  “But you would agree to a paragraph about blood?”

  He sighed and cursed her inquisitive mind. It would be so easy to stop her right where she was now and tell her exactly what the paragraph meant. He would if he knew for sure that she wouldn't freak out.

  “He would,” someone said behind him.

  He stopped, his fists clenching as he turned to face his brother. “What are you doing here?”

  “I could ask the same thing.” Alistair stepped towards him and Erik moved so Kim was slightly behind him.

  He could sense the anger coming off his brother and he knew what this was about.

  “Shouldn't you be in London, in a meeting, with me and some stuffy lawyers?” Alistair leaned to one side and looked past him, his eyes narrowing into a dark look. “Although you seem to have brought a lawyer with you.”

  Alistair's eyes turned golden and he grinned.

  Erik's heart began to pound, the hairs on the back of his neck rising as his instincts kicked in. He had to protect her.

  “Kim, go back to the house.” Erik looked at her. She was staring at Alistair, fear written clearly in her eyes. He could understand. Alistair wasn't exactly hiding his anger and it wasn't everyday you saw someone's eyes turn more yellow. She didn't move. “Kim, to the house, now.”

  She looked at him and he got the message loud and clear. She was too scared to move and she didn't understand why. It was a mind game and she didn't know the rules. Her instincts were telling her to stay with him, with her mate, where she would be safe, and he was telling her to leave. She was safer away from him right now.

  His distraction in looking at her too long cost him dearly.

  Before he could react, Alistair had grabbed her arm and was yanking her towards him. Erik growled and pulled her free, only for Alistair to try and take hold of her again.

  “Don't you touch her!” Erik roared the words, pulling Kim close to his chest and wrapping an arm around her. “Leave her alone.”

  She pressed herself against his body, her face buried into his neck and her palms against his chest.

  Alistair growled and bared his teeth as they extended.

  Erik growled back at him.

  “I won't lose her now that I've found her.” He held Kim closer.

  A spark of recognition entered Alistair's eyes.

  “She's your mate? This is a joke, right, brother? I thought you were just after her for that sweet body, not something as ridiculous as this. A human mate?” Alistair laughed at him.

  He shook his head. “Leave now and I'
ll come in tomorrow and sign everything...if you'll just leave.”

  Alistair grinned, giving him the impression it wasn't going to be that simple now that he knew what Kim meant to him.

  Erik stepped away from Kim. Looking into her eyes, he tried to silently reassure her that everything was going to be okay.

  “Run,” he whispered, his voice pleading her to listen this time.

  Alistair growled again and he could sense the change as it began to run through him. There was no way he could stop it. He could almost feel his eyes as they began to yellow and the first sweep of tingles through his body. It was the precursor to the change, the warning sign. Kim didn't need to see this, not yet, not now.

  Her eyes widened as they dropped to his hands. His claws pushed through, fur erupting in a wave along the back of his fingers as they shifted into their panther state.

  “Run!” he shouted this time, pushing her as the pain turned his stomach. She stumbled forwards and began to run, but she was too slow, and so was he. Alistair lunged at her, and before he could tackle his brother, he'd knocked Kim off balance and she was falling.

  Erik flinched when she cracked her head on the side of the pond and slumped to the ground. His senses immediately reached out and relief bloomed inside of him as he heard her heart beating strong.

  He roared at his brother and ripped his shirt open as his bones shifted, cracking out of place and then back into the new position. Alistair changed at the same time as him and their clothing was left behind as they leapt at each other. Erik dug his claws into Alistair's back and rolled with him, his teeth sinking deep into his shoulder, hard enough that he tasted blood and faintly heard Alistair's cry of pain.

  His brother deserved to pay for hurting her. He'd warned him. They clashed again in a fury of teeth and claws, of growls and cries as they struggled for dominance. He'd fought with his brother before, nothing more than play fights to hone their instincts. He wasn't playing any more. It was time Alistair realised which of them was strongest.

  Leaping from his back, Erik ran, luring Alistair away from Kim. He panted hard as he came out into the open and then jumped over one of the low hedges as his brother pounced. Alistair growled in frustration as he disappeared from view. Erik wouldn't keep him waiting long. Saving his energy, he stalked around the side of the hedge, keeping his focus on Alistair.

  He attacked the moment he saw that Alistair had his back to him. They rolled together, back legs kicking and scratching at each other's stomach and ribs. He dug his claws in deeper and released a feral growl as he bit down on Alistair's front leg.

  Alistair sprung free, blood soaking into his pale golden fur. He bared his teeth and backed away when Erik moved towards him.

  The acquiescence was there in the way that Alistair lowered himself submissively, but Erik knew it wasn't over. He roared at Alistair in a show of strength and power, letting him see that if he tried anything, he'd have more than a hurt arm and shoulder to show for it.

  Alistair slinked off into the bushes, limping as he wound his way back towards the house.

  Erik didn't move until he saw that Alistair was back in human form and heard a car leave.

  Turning around, he went back to Kim, hoping to God that she was all right.

  And knowing that she'd seen him start to change.

  * * * *

  There was something rough stroking her face. Warm and rough. It dragged her cheek with it as it ran over her skin. It was gentle.

  Comforting.

  She frowned and moaned as she tried to open her eyes and her head ached. The first thing she saw was the gravel on the ground. She was strangely close to it. The second thing was the black panther standing over her, licking her face.

  She was very strangely unafraid of it.

  Slowly sitting up, she let the panther continue to lick her face, not wanting to upset it by stopping it, and tried to get her bearings. She was on the ground. The coolness at her back made her look around and she saw the wide pond behind her.

  She remembered something happening. It was all a blur and then there had been a lot of pain followed by darkness. The panther purred. She rubbed it behind the ear, still trying to gather herself and waiting for everything to come back to her.

  Alistair had been here.

  Erik had fought him.

  Her hand travelled lower, stroking the panther. She frowned when she found it had a wet chest. Bringing her hand away, she baulked at the sight of the blood on her fingers. She struggled to stand, her head spinning, and looked at the panther. It was licking the wound on its chest, still purring. It wasn't necessarily a good sign. Cats purred when they were hurt too, didn't they?

  “Stay here,” she said to it, as though it was going to listen to her, and began to run towards the house.

  When she reached the main garden, she looked back and saw that the panther was gone. She sprinted on, running as fast as she could and pressing her hand to her head to stop her brain from falling out. It pounded with pain as she ran, each footstep making it hurt. She had to see if Erik was all right. Something must have happened to him or he would've been there when she'd woken up.

  Wouldn't he?

  She shoved the glass doors open and went to call out to the housekeeper but realised she didn't know her name.

  “Help!” she shouted, running into the hall. “Help!”

  There was a commotion up the corridor and the housekeeper was hurrying towards her.

  “Whatever is the matter?”

  “There was a fight. Alistair. Erik. It's hurt...the panther is hurt.” She panted hard and then winced as skull-splitting pain shot through her.

  “You're hurt,” the woman said and put her arm about her, supporting her.

  “I'll be fine. I just banged my head. I can't find Erik.”

  “Go to your room and lie down. I'll find Mr. Blackwell. He'll be straight up to see you.” The woman ushered her towards the stairs.

  Kim did as she'd asked. A lie down sounded good right now. The woman would probably be able to find Erik quicker than she could. She stopped on the bottom step and looked back at her.

  “Don't forget the panther,” she said, her voice showing her worry. There had been so much blood.

  The woman smiled.

  Kim looked at her hand as she walked up the stairs, getting the horrible feeling that something was wrong, that Erik was hurt.

  Reaching her room, she sat down on the bed and then lay back. Her eyes unfocused as she tried to recall what had happened. Everything was still a mess in her head. She could only remember Erik telling her to run and then she was unconscious. Someone had pushed her. It must have been Alistair.

  She couldn't forget the look in Erik's eyes. He'd been petrified. Had he been scared that Alistair was going to hurt her like he'd hurt all those other girls?

  Maybe she was lucky to just come away with a nasty knock to the head and nothing more.

  She sat up, unable to keep still for long as her thoughts returned to Erik and his whereabouts. She was worried. Her stomach was turning over and over again, her heart trembling at the thought that something terrible might have happened to him.

  Getting up, she walked around the room and eventually found herself by the windows. She looked out on the grounds, searching them for a sign of him. It was getting dark now. She hoped that the housekeeper would be able to find him. She couldn't hope that he wasn't hurt. She already knew that he was.

  This time she didn't question how she knew. Erik was right when he'd told her not to question it. Sometimes it was best just to accept things.

  Before she could think twice about what she was doing, she was walking back to the door of her room. There was no way she was going to sit around here while Erik was missing.

  Heading down the corridor, her heart jumped into her throat when she heard voices and recognised Erik's. She ran to the top of the stairs and had made it down the first few before she stopped dead.

  He was hurt.

  His white
shirt was stained with blood.

  She ran down the remaining stairs and the look in his eyes when he saw her spoke volumes. He had been hoping she wouldn't see. Rushing over to him, she got a good look at the cuts on his chest before he pulled the shirt closed around him. The long scratches reminded her of the wounds on the panther.

  “What happened?” she said, a little out of breath as she struggled with her emotions and tried to stop herself from shaking. There was so much blood on his shirt. She wished he was wearing black now. The dark red on white was too much to bear. It made her stomach turn and her panic worsen. “Was it the panther?”

  He shook his head, the look of worry not leaving his eyes. What was he worried about?

  “It was my brother. He's gone now.” He let go of his shirt and it fell open again.

  Her gaze dropped to his chest and her eyes widened as she remembered what had happened. She swallowed, trying to take in the conclusion her mind was racing to make. The scratches were the same as the panther's. Before Erik had made her run, she'd seen the fur on his hands and felt the claws. She wasn't imagining it. She wasn't. This wasn't her fantasies.

  She remembered everything.

  It was real.

  Her chest tightened and her throat constricted with it, making it hard to breathe as the world came crashing in around her. She felt as though it was going to swallow her whole and she wished it would because she couldn't make sense of this at all.

  “What are you?” she whispered, still staring at his chest.

  She couldn't believe it until he said it, until he offered some proof and told her she wasn't going insane.

  He looked at her, admission in his expression and no trace of denial of the accusation that she was throwing at his feet.

  She'd seen him change, just like she had in her dreams.

  No, they were their dreams. They were their dreams, and she'd seen through his eyes, and she'd felt him when they'd been outside.

  And she'd seen him changing into something.

  Into the panther that had been licking her when she'd come around.

  Erik had been there; he'd just been the panther and not the man before her now.