Gods and Mortals: Fourteen Free Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Novels Featuring Thor, Loki, Greek Gods, Native American Spirits, Vampires, Werewolves, & More (328 page)

“Is this why you were gone last night when I came home?”

He didn’t move at all.

“Fine.” I turned to leave him, but he caught my wrist again and gently tugged me to his side. He brought my hand to his mouth, kissed the back of it, then my knuckles. I felt a tug in my stomach. That stupid, annoying, kinda-growing-on-me-a-lot pull which tied us together. My annoyance at him evaporated. Unable to help myself, I brushed my fingers through his hair. I liked the feel of it.

“I’ve lost everyone that’s ever really mattered to me. I thought caring about a werewolf would be safer,” I admitted softly.

He raised his head to look at me for a long moment then pulled me into his arms.

Normally, I wouldn’t like someone hugging me like that. But with Clay, it felt safe. I hugged him back gently, not wanting to hurt him more, and hoped the safety I felt wasn’t because I’d already lost too much of my heart to him. I’d never fully recovered from losing my mom or Grandma. I doubted I could lose much more and remain the same person. Losing Clay, even now, might break me.

Eventually, I pulled away first. His stomach began to rumble and mine answered. I tiptoed out of my room and moved my car, knowing Rachel would need to leave soon. Then, while Clay waited in my room, I made him breakfast. I didn’t want Rachel to see him when she woke. We ate together on my bed. Before we finished, I heard Rachel leave.

While I washed dishes, he slipped into the bathroom with scissors and a razor.

It would be an understatement to say I was a little curious about what he really looked like under all the fur, er, whiskers. The anticipation built while I put away the dishes.

I walked by the bathroom door but couldn’t hear anything. Trying to keep busy, I went back to my room and sorted laundry before deciding what to wear. It didn’t take me long to dress. I paced around the house listening to the shower run.

T
he anticipation had
me so distracted that I jumped when someone knocked at the front door. Of course, the shower turned off at that moment. Bad timing. I scowled, took a breath, then walked to the front door. Smarter this time, I checked the peephole.

Sam stood on the doorstep, and he looked very serious. He must have left in the middle of the night in order to get here first thing in the morning. I frowned. The surprises just kept coming, and it wasn’t even eight.

Fixing a welcoming smile on my face, I pulled open the door.

“Morning, Sam. This is a surprise.” I wanted to see Clay freshly shaven without an audience, but I motioned Sam in anyway. If he took the time to drive here, I would take the time to listen to whatever he had to say. Maybe it would be a short visit.

He stepped inside.

“Um, don’t get me wrong, I like seeing you, but is there a reason you’re here?” I said, trying to hurry him along.

“We’ll wait for Clay.”

His cryptic answer caught me off guard. It’d been more than two months since we’d seen each other. Sure, we had talked, but it wasn’t the same as seeing someone face to face. I’d expected him to look at least slightly happy to see me.

Just then, the bathroom door opened. I excitedly turned to look for Clay. Dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, he stepped into the living room. But I didn’t waste my time ogling him. My eyes honed in on his face. Only Sam’s observant presence kept me from wrinkling my nose.

Clay still sported his beard, but he had trimmed it back. The neat length continued to obscure his teeth while revealing a hint of his lips. At least now, I’d be able to see when he smiled. The whiskers that had covered his neck were gone, leaving the clean-shaven column of his throat exposed. My eyes lingered on that skin for a moment before moving on. He’d also run his fingers through his hair so it lay back out of his face. The deep purple of his black eye had already faded to an ugly green-yellow. Even with his bruising, he looked really good. Just not shaven all the way.

I smiled warmly at Clay, wishing we were alone so I could tell him what I thought.

“You know why I’m here, Clay,” Sam said from behind me.

My smile fell as I turned to look at him. What was he talking about?

“I’m told you didn’t take the news well.”

I turned back to Clay in time to see him shrug and cross his arms.

“What’s going on? What news?” I said glancing between the two.

Sam gave Clay a sharp look. “You didn’t tell her?”

“He’s not talking to me, yet,” I said, wondering what bad news Sam had to share.

Sam shook his head at Clay. “You’ve dug your own hole then, son.” He focused on me. “A group of Forlorn have asked Elder Joshua to approach you for an unofficial kind of Introduction. Joshua approved, but he made it clear they were to keep it brief and then leave, unless any of them had a further request of him.”

The meaning of Sam’s words sunk in deep like a vicious bite. It also explained his less than warm greeting. He stood in my living room as an Elder on pack business, not as family or a friend. I struggled to contain my anger.

“I thought I was done with that. We had a deal.” I crossed my arms and coldly regarded Sam. “I know I said I was done.”

The carefully, composed expression on Sam’s face faltered a bit. “Honey, there are rules we must follow to keep peace in the pack. Clay had six months to convince you of his suit. That time has passed. That means unMated can once again approach you, with permission.”

My mouth popped open. Six months. Permission from an Elder. That’s why they’d stationed Joshua here. A backup plan because they knew I didn’t want to Claim Clay. They failed to understand I didn’t want to Claim anyone. I’d never been free. I clenched my fists. My temper boiled.

“That’s complete crap,” I gritted out. “First of all, I didn’t reject anyone. Second, no one ever told me about this stupid rule.” My voice rose to a yell, and I took a deep breath and closed my eyes briefly to restrain myself. When I reopened them, I felt more in control and able to speak calmly. “You know what? I don’t care what the pack rules are. I gave you my word and my time. Now, I expect you to keep yours. I worked hard to get here, Sam. I won’t let anyone take this away from me.” My hands shook. That Sam had cared for me in the past and given me a place to call home for two years, kept my tongue marginally civil.

“By not completing the Claim, you’ve become eligible again. Charlene was granted a special consideration because, at that time, we weren’t even sure a Claiming would be possible between a human and a werewolf. Now that we know it is, you fall under the same rules,” Sam explained calmly, his face again carefully devoid of emotion.

“No, I don’t.” I knew I could stand there and argue all day with Sam, and he wouldn’t budge. It would always be whatever’s best for the pack with him. “Is this why Clay was beat up?”

Clay made a noise—like a snort of disagreement—behind me.

“Feel free to jump in at any time,” I said, turning to arch an eyebrow at him. He remained mute, but his eyes softened when he looked at me.

Sam spoke up from behind me, but I didn’t turn to look at him.

“Gabby, it’s the reason he’s been fighting. He’s not relinquishing his tie to you. Every time an unMated shows up here, he will challenge that man for his right for Introduction. Did Clay get beat up? Only as a byproduct of handing out beatings.”

Clay steadily met my gaze the entire time. It broke my heart a little to know he was fighting so hard to keep me, and all I’d given him in those six months was a kiss. Not even spontaneously given, but relinquished as part of a bribe. I hadn’t rejected him. I just didn’t want to be forced into a choice. If I chose to be with Clay, I wanted it to be on our terms.

“Why is two years of school too much to ask for?” I said to Sam, tearing my guilty gaze from Clay.

“And after that? Then you’ll want time to establish your career. Let’s face it. There will never be a perfect time for this in your life. You just need to make the best with what you have.”

As in, suck it up? My temper boiled over. Screw respect. He just crossed a line. I walked right up to him and poked him in the shoulder.

“No, Sam, you do. I’m not your pawn in this game you play with women’s lives. I went to your Introductions and fulfilled any obligation I felt I owed you for the roof over my head. You have no say in who I see...” Poke. “...or what I do, unless you intend to drag me back to the Compound and physically force me to bite someone.”

Clay growled slightly behind me, obviously sharing my sentiment. I stepped back from Sam and moved closer to Clay.

“It’s time for you to leave, Sam. Don’t come back.” Saying those words hurt just as much as knowing I only mattered to him because of what I meant to the pack, rather than what I meant to him.

“You were never an obligation to me, Gabby.” When I looked away, he tried to persuade Clay. “You know it’d be safer for both of you if the Introductions continued at the Compound. If you keep going like this, there might be someone you won’t beat. Are you willing to risk leaving her alone, then?”

What did he mean by that? Clay could get hurt even worse? I thought they were nearly invincible. Glancing at Clay, I looked at each bruise and saw the real answer. They were hard to beat but made to break, just like the rest of us.

I walked to the door and opened it for Sam, signaling the end of the conversation.

“All right, then.” He walked to the door and turned toward me. “Gabby, call me anytime. I’m here to help you, no matter what you might think right now.”

I nodded stiffly and closed the door behind him. His help would only extend as far as it could help the pack. He’d just proven I meant less to him than they did, but I’d always known that. Why, then, did I let it hurt me?

For a few seconds, I just stared at the door’s surface and tried to let go of my anger. Sam made his choices. I needed to make my own.

I turned to look at Clay. He’d moved closer to me, probably waiting for my reaction to everything Sam had just said. I didn’t want to deal with it, yet. Instead, I reached up and teased my fingers through the whiskers along his jaw.

“Much better, but I’m going to keep at you until it’s all shaved off, and maybe a haircut, too.”

He briefly bared his teeth, re-explaining the reason for the beard.

I spent a moment studying his face. I ran my fingers over his forehead and traced his black eye. He held still, patiently letting me look my fill. Would things have progressed differently if I’d known about a timeframe? I doubted I’d have even let him in the door if I’d known he only had six months to try to convince me.

With a sigh, I stepped away. “I need to get ready for class. Before I go, would you show me where you got the coveralls from?”

He nodded and his lips curled in a slight, secretive smile. I definitely liked seeing his lips.

M
y hunch had been right
. He pulled into a small auto body shop on South Mitchell. The street name tickled a memory. I couldn’t place it until the mechanic currently working looked up at our approach. Cleaning his hands on a rag, he smiled at us.

“Dale from the parking lot?” I whispered, looking at Clay questioningly. He just nodded. It explained his secret smile and his interest in books about auto mechanics.

Clay exited the car and moved to open my door. I’d thought I would get a drive by tour, not a walking one. Wide eyed, I stepped out.

Dale walked toward us. “Hi there, Gabby. Glad Clay finally brought you around.” He held out his freshly wiped hand. I clasped it briefly. “I have to tell you that I was surprised when Clay showed up and was as good as you boasted.” I didn’t recall actually boasting. “Although, it doesn’t look like he’s been taking care of your car.”

Clay said nothing in his defense—of course—leaving the talking to me.

“I’m always running back and forth to my classes. It’s hard to give it up for any amount of time.” I shrugged away his question. “Speaking of which...” I looked at Clay. “I really need to get going, or I’ll be late.” I turned back to Dale. “It was nice seeing you again, Dale. I hope stopping in was okay. I really wanted to see where Clay was working.”

“Stop by anytime.” He waved as we walked out and got back in our car.

“I’m sure there was some type of logic to picking that place,” I said to Clay as he drove us home. “Someday you’ll have to tell me about it.”

B
y Friday
, everything seemed back to normal with my pull. Men once again noticed me. Their eyes followed me around campus. Thankfully, they seemed to remember my repeated rejections from the beginning of the semester and didn’t approach me anew.

I did wonder what exactly had happened, though. The suspicions that floated around in my head needed further examination, but I wanted to talk through them while Clay listened.

When I walked through the door just before five, an empty house greeted me. I really needed to find out his work schedule.

Rachel got home a little after five. As soon as she walked in the door, she announced she’d decided to go out to a dance club. She continued to her room without waiting for a response from me. I followed her, needing the company. Life had just been a little too weird for me over the past week.

“Don’t suppose you’d like to come with?” she asked, looking at the options in her closet.

I sat in the middle of her bed safely out of the way of any clothing options she tossed behind her.

“You know how it is,” I said as I plucked at a string in her quilt. “It’s just worse if they’re drinking.”

“Which one do you like better?” Rachel asked, demanding my attention. She’d pulled two dresses from her closet. “This one?” She held up a red dress with a tuck that crossed the middle to accentuate the wearer’s curves. “Or this one?” She indicated a standard black dress with a twist. The real hemline was shorter than the red’s, but a secondary hemline comprised of strands of beads hung from the first hemline giving the illusion of another six inches.

“I think the black one would be more fun to dance in.”

“I think you’re right.” She set both on the bed and rummaged in her jewelry box. “I have an idea. Peter can’t go out tonight. I think we should make it a girl’s night out.” She turned with something in her hand and arched a brow at me. “Unless you have plans with Sir Talks-A-Lot?”

“No, but—”

She tossed what she held in my direction. By reflex, I caught it.

“Have you ever tried wearing a ring? Some friends of mine do it when they want to go out to have fun and not be bothered by anyone.” She grabbed the black dress, handed it to me, then begged. “Let’s just try. It’s a club with extremely expensive drinks. The prices discourage an all-out drunk, and it has great music.”

I hesitated, thinking of Clay. Did I really want to sit here, waiting? It wouldn’t help him get home faster. The niggling concern that his delay related to another challenge reared its head. But, Sam had assured me that the challenger would want to heal between fights. If Clay dished out more than he got, the other guy wouldn’t be ready yet, anyway.

She pounced on my hesitation. “You know I’ll leave anytime you say you’re ready to go. You never seem to let your hair down and just have fun. With that kind of constant tension, you’re going to end up with heart disease or something.”

Her comment about never having fun hit home. I did tend toward the more serious course. When was the last time I did something just for the fun of it? For myself? The double date with Scott had been for Rachel. The party last weekend had been for Nicole. The Introductions for the last two years had been for Sam.

Pathetically, I hadn’t done anything just for fun since before I went to live with Sam. Even going to school and getting an education was more for my grandma than me. Before she died, I’d made her a promise to get an education and find something that made me happy.