Instinctive (25 page)

“I need to get back to work,” Jaclyn said lightly. “Can’t help get those numbers up if I’m not there,” she added.

“That’s my girl,” her father piped in, and threw his napkin down onto the table.

“Can we have a tour of your house first?” her mother asked, and Jaclyn knew she was stalling. It was her not so subtle way to hang around longer in hopes of getting a glimpse of Slyck.

The rain had slightly lightened as Jaclyn hustled them back to her place and gave them a two-minute tour. After guiding them back to her front room, she glanced at her watch. “I guess you’d better get going if you want to make good time before nightfall.”

In no hurry to move, Jaclyn’s mom picked up the pretty blue vase and carried it from the coffee table to the windowsill. Jaclyn followed the movement and smiled. Like mother, like daughter. It must have been the socialite instilled in them both. Always adjusting the little things and striving to make their home perfect.

Her mother turned intense blue eyes on her and Jaclyn knew she was getting right to the point. “So do we get to meet this man of yours before we leave?”

Without thought Jaclyn moved her gaze from the vase to the damp sidewalk. The sight of Slyck passing by drew all her focus, and she found herself walking to the rain-splashed window, drawn to him like metal to a magnet.

“Is that him?” Marie asked, stepping up beside her. Jaclyn didn’t miss her disapproving glower as she took in Slyck’s wet, mussed hair, worn jeans that hugged his body to perfection, and his tight T-shirt, which displayed washboard abs and a body designed for sin. Not only was he gorgeous—he was the sweetest, gentlest, kindest man Jaclyn had ever met, and she wouldn’t allow anyone to say otherwise.

Not even her mother.

When her mother made a
tsk
ing sound, and gave a quick shake of her head, Jaclyn felt her entire world shift. Suddenly weary and tired of her mom’s disappointing glares, and the way she was always so quick to pass judgment based on appearances, Jaclyn lifted her chin high. She had no desire to upset or disappoint her parents, but she was an intelligent woman who made smart choices, and maybe it was time her mother knew it.

Over the last few weeks, Slyck had given her confidence in
herself, helped heal her old wounds, and taught her to appreciate, embrace, and love herself for who and what she was.

“Yes, that’s him.”

“But darling, he’s so, so—”

Jaclyn spun around to face her mother. The quick movement seem to take Marie by surprise. “You really shouldn’t judge him until you’ve met him,” Jaclyn stated.

Her mother waved a dismissive hand. “But, Jaclyn—”

Undeterred, Jaclyn continued. “And I won’t let you meet him until you can start accepting people for who they are.” Her voice began to rise. “He’s a wonderful man, and I love him,” she announced loudly. Just hearing herself vocalize those words made her legs go weak.

The way Slyck had suddenly stopped midstride and the way his tender, heated glance locked on hers told her that he’d heard those three powerful words.

“I love him,” she repeated, and laid her palm on the cool window in search of his heat.

Displeased, and looking for an ally, Marie turned to Benjamin. “Benji—”

As emotions poured through Jaclyn’s body, she noticed her nails extend to claws as her panther fought to protect its mate. She quickly shoved her hands behind her back and said, “I’m a grown woman, Mother, and you raised me to make good choices, which I do. Now it’s time for you to step back and see how good a job you’ve done.”

Her mother opened her mouth to speak, but her father cut
her off. “That’s enough, Marie,” Benjamin piped in. “I think it’s time for us to go. It looks like Jaclyn has everything under control here. When she’s ready for us to meet him, she’ll introduce us.”

She gave her father a grateful smile and leaned in for a hug, her panther fading. Just then Ruby jumped into her mother’s arms, breaking the tension surrounding them.

“Ruby,” Marie said, delighted.

Jaclyn suddenly had a lightbulb moment. “You need to take her with you.” Jaclyn had no intention of leaving her cat behind, and this gave her one less thing to worry about when making her escape.

“Really? Is it because of the coyotes?”

“Yes. Now you really need to go.” She touched her mother’s back and ushered her toward the door. “I’ve been away from work far too long.”

With that, Jaclyn herded them all back to Main Street, where her parents had parked their car. After seeing them off, she hustled back to the store and changed out of her damp clothes and back into her sexy outfit.

Jaclyn made her way back to the cosmetics counter, relieved that she had ushered her parents out of town so quickly. The minute she looked into Sunray’s eyes, her vision went fuzzy around the edges, and she knew something very bad was going down. “Oh God, what is it?”

“It’s Vall.”

Jaclyn gripped the counter. “What about him?”

“He changed his plans.”

Oh Jesus, this was not good. Not good at all. Jaclyn sank to
her stool and glanced at Sunray with apprehension. She could feel the blood drain from her face.

“He’s bringing you into the brethren tomorrow, before the full moon, to keep an eye on you.”

As if the bottom had just fallen out of her world, her body went ice-cold. “Oh God, I need to talk to Slyck.”

 

As Slyck wiped and restocked the drink glasses, placing them in the overhead rack above the bar, the sound of his service-entrance door banging open pulled his focus. He quickly tore his thoughts from Jaclyn and glanced across the room. He took one look at Drake’s distraught face, and the tension in his body as he stormed toward Slyck, and Slyck knew something was wrong.

“What?” Slyck asked, squaring his shoulders.

“Sunray came to see me,” Drake rushed out, breathless like he’d just finished running laps at the track.

Slyck’s body stiffened. “Why?”

“She thought you’d need me.”

Slyck stopped drying the glass and stood stock-still. “Out with it, Drake,” he bit out in annoyance. He was in no mood for cryptic words.

After Drake wiped his damp hands on his training pants, he ran anxious fingers through his dark hair and stepped up to the bar. With his eyes intense and his brow furrowed, he said, “It’s Vall. He plans on bringing Jaclyn into his pack tomorrow, before sunset.”

The glass Slyck had been holding slipped from his hands and shattered on the hard floor. His pulse pounded, his blood roared
through his veins, and the air rushed from his lungs in a whoosh. Ignoring the shards of glass at his feet—acting on pure instinct—Slyck moved like a lightning bolt and jumped over the counter. He let out a roar of fury and turned his body to push past Drake.

He felt his blood drain to his feet as he digested Drake’s words. “I need to get her out of here now,” he announced with alarm in his voice.

Drake stepped in front of him and put his hand on Slyck’s chest to still his movements. He spoke in a low voice meant to calm, but it did little to ease Slyck’s ragged nerves. “Sunray thought you might react this way, which is why she came to me first.”

With full-blown panic urging him on so he could barely comprehend what Drake was saying, he gripped Drake’s hand. He made a swift move and twisted Drake’s wrist until he released his willful hold. “Get the fuck off me, Drake. I have no intention of standing back and letting Vall touch her.”

Drake’s eyes narrowed in frustration but he held his own. He receded until his back was pressed to the exit door, blocking Slyck’s path. “Listen to me, Slyck. You need to stop, separate yourself from your emotions, and think about this. Logically.”

Leaning over his friend, Slyck said, “Fuck logic. I’m not going to sit around and let Vall engage in every debauched activity known to mankind with my mate. Now move.”

“Just—”

Slyck cut him off with a glare and, with his voice deceptively mild, said, “I’m going to get her. Now get out of my way, before I make you get out of my way.”

“And you’ll get her killed.” Drake widened his stance and
continued to hinder Slyck’s escape. “You’ll get us all killed, even Sunray, and you’ll throw this town into chaos, breaking down everything that has taken years to build.” In a tone that was dark, dangerous, and serious, he asked, “Is that what you want?” Drake put a placating hand on Slyck’s shoulder and held firm. “You know that’s not what you want, Slyck.”

Oh, Christ, everything was falling apart and the situation was escalating beyond his control. “Unless you have a better idea, you need to get the fuck out of my way,” Slyck retaliated, even though in the back of his mind some small, still logical part of his brain was telling him that Drake was right, and that he needed to listen.

Drake watched him for a moment and then said, “Sunray told me she can still get Jaclyn out before the full moon.”

Arms folded across his chest, Slyck paused and waited for him to elaborate.

“She said she’ll watch over her and figure out a way to distract Vall before the run.”

“How?” Slyck snapped.

“I don’t know, but she said you’d have to be close by, because when it goes down, it’s going to go down fast.”

Slyck’s stomach dipped, and his shoulders dropped. He cast his eyes down in thought as his throat closed over. “Sunray’s not yet physically strong enough to take on Vall.”

“Maybe there are other ways for her to take him on.”With his voice low and unsure, Drake asked, “Do you trust her, Slyck?”

Slyck’s head came up with a start, and he didn’t even hesitate to say, “Yes.”

“Even though she’s a lycan?”

Everyone knew how much Slyck distrusted lycans, but Sunray wasn’t like the rest. What was Drake getting at? “Yeah. I trust her. Why?”

Drake’s face tightened warily. “You in no way think she’s working with Vall. Playing you for a fool?” he asked, his words planting a seed of doubt in the back of Slyck’s mind.

Slyck paused to consider that option, then met Drake’s gaze unflinchingly. “No. She’s with us all the way.”

He watched Drake physically relax. His firm answer seemed to appease him, even though Slyck now had a sick, apprehensive knot in his stomach. He truly believed Sunray had integrity. Truly felt that she had Jaclyn’s best interests at heart, but he also knew Vall could be manipulating her somehow, holding something over her.

Drake’s voice broke his concentration. “Then you’ll have to trust her enough to believe she’ll get Jaclyn out. It’s our only option.”

Feeling restless and edgy, Slyck sagged against the wall and worked to regulate his ragged breathing. “They mate before their run, Drake.” His fingers fisted at his sides, and his pulse beat at the base of his throat so hard he thought it would burst. “So help me, if Vall touches one hair on her head, I’ll rip him to shreds with my bare hands.”

“Sunray won’t let that happen.”

Slyck grimaced and worked to curb his anger and emotions, desperately trying to draw on his logic instead. “Sunray can’t guarantee it.”

“And there is no guarantee that you’ll both escape from here either, Slyck. The guard might not be on duty during their one and only compulsory shift night, but the pack will be running, and you’re both at risk.” Drake dug into his back pocket and hauled out a key. “But this might help speed things up.”

The overhead fluorescent light reflected off the metal in Drake’s hand. Slyck stepped back, momentarily surprised. “You stole the key?”

“Hell, yeah,” Drake said, trying to lighten the mood. “It’s not like you can climb the fence on shift night. I’m not interested in cleaning up fried kitty come morning.” He shoved the key back into his pocket. “I’ll replace it right after you escape.”

Slyck pounded his fist on the wall in frustration. “I don’t want you there, Drake. It’s too dangerous.”

“Which is why I need to be there. What kind of alpha leader would I be if I wasn’t there to protect one of my pack?”

Slyck’s mouth lifted in a grateful smile, any fears or worries he had of Vall manipulating Drake now gone. Drake would make one hell of a leader.

Slyck faced his friend and met his glance straight on. “You know the consequences if you get captured.” It was a statement, not a question. Slyck pressed his lips together, thinking how the community would be affected if they were both caught in the action. “Maybe it’s best if you don’t—”

“We won’t get caught. Besides, you took care of me for years. Now it’s my turn to take care of you. I’ll open the gate just before the full moon, you get Jaclyn and get out, and then I’ll shut it so none of the mongrels follow. I’ll also have a car waiting for you on
the other side. Then I’ll explain both yours and Jaclyn’s absence to the council in the morning.”

Slyck patted him on the back, respect apparent on his face. “You’re going to be one hell of a leader, Drake.”

“Trained by the best,” he said. “Now you need to lie low until tomorrow. Get out of here and go home. I’ll take your shift tonight. You sit tight, and then make your way to Vall’s den an hour before the full moon.” With that, he turned around, pulled open the service entrance door, and disappeared behind a wall of heavy rain.

Slyck returned to the bar, cleaned up the broken glass and then shut the lights off. Clouds hung as heavy as his heart as he made his way home. Inside his house he paced and ran over the turn of events until darkness fell over Serene.

He stepped in front of his window and spotted movement inside Jaclyn’s house. Everything inside him reached out to her, and in that instant he knew he had to go to her, to see her, to make love to her. They might not have tomorrow but they sure as hell had tonight.

He could no longer suppress his primal need for his mate. He threw on his raincoat, covered his head to disguise himself, and made his way to the back entrance. He pulled the door open and jumped back, both startled and surprised to see Jaclyn standing there, dark slicker cloaking her identity, hand raised to knock.