Skin Deep (23 page)

Cain dashed for the door directly behind the couch. The scent of the blood and
her
was coming from there. It was so strong he could taste it on his tongue. His feet pounded down the ancient stairwell.

A cell came into view, the black bars stretching from floor to ceiling, but it was what was on the other side that had the haze of change thickening before him. A decimated body lay torn to shreds, the remnants spread across the ground. A huge red-coated Wereleopard crouched over the remains, devouring the soft flesh of a human torso.

He killed her! He fucking killed her!

His insides warped, caving in on themselves. He tried to suck in air but couldn’t. A terrible ripping came from inside his chest, so loud he was sure the world heard it. He clutched at his breaking heart. The fog of change distorted his vision.

“Cain, stop. It’s her!” The hand on his shoulder belonged to Maryline.

His heart beat like a dying drum in his chest.
She’s gone. She’s really gone.
“No!” He threw his head back and snarled at the ceiling.

“She’s not talking about the body, you dip fuck. The Wereleopard. Look closer.”

Cain hissed at Ren and looked again at the ghastly scene. He met the gaze of the large cat. The bright yellow color was one he knew, like marigolds in the summer.
It can’t be.

“You okay, girl?” Kiera looked up into Maryline’s gray eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last three days. The light filtering through the blinds of Kiera’s loft exposed the same look of sympathy. She had begun to hate it, though not as much as she hated herself.

“Fine.”

“You don’t seem fine. I think we should talk about it.”

Kiera ran a hand through her hair and sighed. “I don’t know. I just … I … ate him.” She let the words escape from her lips, the ones that had been thundering across her mind since she woke up in her apartment, completely healed, with memories of what she had done to Roth.

Maryline shocked her by laughing. “That’s what’s bothering you? Oh, honey, it happens to the best of us shifters. You shoulda seen the guy I ate. Woo weeee.” She fanned herself. “Talk about tasty.”

Kiera scrunched her face in revulsion.

“In all seriousness, it’s okay. You did it to protect yourself. You’re part animal now, and the beast inside,” Maryline reached across the tiny brown kitchen table and patted her hand against the top of Kiera’s chest, “doesn’t have morals like your human side does. It doesn’t understand. You were put in a position where you didn’t have a choice but to fight for your life. The animal in you responded to that. It’s Darwinism, honey.” Maryline stood and grabbed her plate to take to the sink. “You sure you’re okay with me and Darla heading back to our place today? I hate to leave you all alone … especially after last night.”

Kiera cringed. She hadn’t been able to fall asleep, and ended up doing things she never thought she would. She stared around her night-darkened loft, lit only by the moon shining through the windows. Her eyes had taken in the splash of colored yarn hanging all over the walls and draped across her furniture. Her creations were everywhere, encasing her little world in rich color. She thought about the hours she’d put into creating each piece. The time that had been consumed with her fingers working with purpose, gripping her favorite hook. She’d worked hard on everything … but to what end? Why surround herself with these things when she would never have anyone to share them with? And now she had eternity to spend alone.

Instead of thinking, she’d acted. She’d jerked the colorful hangings off the wall, tearing them down one by one with more force than she realized she had. It had woken Darla and Maryline. Neither said anything, but watched her tirade as she revealed the bare brick walls. She wasn’t even out of breath when she finished, but her skin was flushed and her heart raced. The stark-white walls soothed her in a way they never had before. They seemed so clean and flawless bathed in moonlight. The newness of them washed across her very soul. Only then did she find sleep.

“Kiera? You okay?” The sound of Maryline’s voice brought her jolting back to the present.

“Fine.” Kiera nodded and offered a smile.

“You okay with us going back home tonight?”

Cold fear gripped Kiera. After all the time she’d spent alone in her life, it shouldn’t be a big deal for the two women to go back to their home. But now she was terrified to be by herself. The dreams of Roth were worse than ever now.
He came back once … he can come back again.

“Yes, of course. You and Darla have your own lives. You don’t need to babysit me.” She forced herself to say the words, in spite of her fear. “When will she be here, anyway?”

“Any minute now. She only had three hair appointments, I think.”

The thought of work seemed like a distant dream to Kiera.
How long has it been since I’ve been to work?
Kiera didn’t even know.

The buzz of her cell phone brought her out of troubled thoughts. The name on the screen made her heart increase to an uncontrollable tempo.

“Since you’d been moping around, I figured he was the reason.”

Kiera darted her gaze away from her phone.

“He’s been calling non-stop. Are you ever going to talk to him?”

“No.”

Maryline frowned. “You should give the man a chance. He’s been worried about you. Actually, I don’t think he’s been home since we found you. The fact that he’s been posted outside your apartment this entire time is saying something.”

Kiera ducked her head. She knew he’d been out there. She’d peeked through the blinds whenever no one was looking to see him leaning against a fancy-looking silver car, his green gaze staring up at her window. She always jumped away the moment she saw him, afraid he might see her.

“It doesn’t matter. I just have to wait him out. He’ll get tired of all this and go home eventually.”

“Tired? I don’t know, Kiera … the man is over a thousand years old. He has forever to wait for you. And you have forever to hide, since you’re an Immortal now, too.”

A sick feeling punched her in the gut.
He wouldn’t actually wait … forever.
No. That was just ridiculous … right? “I can’t let him see me like this, Maryline.” Kiera looked down at her hands, a wave of sadness washing over her when the incessant buzz of her phone ceased.

“I think he loves you, Kiera.” Maryline put her hand over Kiera’s clasped ones.

“Sure, he loves the skinny me. The me that wasn’t all … fucking ginormous.” She couldn’t help the tears that sprung into her eyes. This had never been a part of the plan. The last three days she’d avoided all mirrors like the plague. It was only this morning, when Maryline had stepped out for a bit, that she’d finally stood in front of her floor-length mirror and removed the throw blanket she’d begged Maryline to put over it. It was the only one of her creations she hadn’t torn off the walls the night before.

The image staring back startled her. She wasn’t a thin beauty anymore. Her body was big again, bulging in all the wrong places. Her thighs were too large, her belly too big. But it wasn’t this that upset her. She was surprised at how relieving it was to stare at her true form again.
This is me.
And crazily enough, she didn’t want to change it. She didn’t miss her thin body, not really. That body had given her the chance to experience real love, something she’d never had with a man. Kiera just didn’t want to see his love for her crumble when he saw her for who she really was.

“You know what? You have to be strong. If Cain doesn’t love you when he sees your real form, then fuck him. Seriously, me and Darla will make chopped kitty out of him.”

Kiera smiled through her tears.

“If he can’t see the beauty in who you are like this, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

Maryline pulled her hands off Kiera’s and waved them in the air. “Now, I know that sounds cliché as hell, but it’s the truth. You know I think you’re more beautiful like this.” She gestured at Kiera’s form. “But I wanted you to be happy, which is why I found Bettina.”

Kiera tried to cut in, but Maryline held up her hand. “No, let me finish. Everyone on this earth has a
feorh
and whether or not you and Cain go somewhere from here doesn’t matter. One day you will find the person who holds the other half of your soul and you’ll find yourself not giving a shit about Cain anymore.”

“You’re mine, Kiera. My soul mate.”
Roth’s words were like a torpedo, blasting through her heart and shredding the insides. “Roth told me … I was his.”

“His what?
Feorh
?” The look on Maryline’s face was bordering on anger and hysterical laughter. “Girl, that man didn’t have a soul. Someone as pure as you would never have a debauched other half like that piece of scum.”

“Hey, ladies,” Darla called from the bottom of the stairs. “You ready, babe?” She came into view and Maryline stood to give her a peck on the lips.

“You bet.” Maryline grabbed her jacket before looking back at Kiera, who tried to stop the anxiety building in her breast. “We’ll be back to check on you later, hon.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Maryline quirked a dark brow. “You sure?”

Kiera managed to nod her head as Darla the two women turned to head downstairs.

“Think about what we talked about, okay? You can’t keep him away forever.”

That’s what I’m afraid of.

Cain stared at the second-story windows of Kiera’s apartment building with a vengeance.
What the hell is she doing up there?
He’d been sure she was going to come down, more than sure. Once the she-wolves had gotten into their car and left, he had nearly wept with joy. One of them had been with Kiera twenty-four/seven. And that was three days ago, after they’d tranq’ed her in animal form. He’d been certain it was their fault she hadn’t seen him.
They’re keeping her away from me.
The thought had rolled around in his head in excess the last several days.

She hadn’t come down, though. He’d waited, leaning against his car, but not a sound came from her apartment. She didn’t even peek out the window like she’d done a couple of times.

She was still awake—he could sense it, even though it was late. That was the fucked-up thing. Now he was aware of everything; the scent of her was overwhelming, stronger and more tropical than before, bursting with a succulent sweetness. She smelled different when she was sleeping, lighter, as if she was drifting on a cloud. His cock had been hard the whole time. No calming that fucker down, not with her scent swirling around him like a juicy filet mignon ready to be devoured.

The buzzing of his phone had him digging in his pocket. Sparrc’s blue head covered the screen and Cain immediately dropped the thing back in his pocket. He and Blaise had been blowing his shit up since Kiera had come home. He’d only been home once, and that was to get his car and come here. Though he wasn’t the only one who hadn’t come home.

No one had seen their sergeant since he’d shifted into his beast and dashed around the old rundown house. Blaise and Sparrc had searched all over the damned state trying to find him and had come back empty handed each time.

“Damn it to hell.” He dug in his pocket when it started vibrating again. Sparrc’s idiotic caller ID picture only annoyed him more. “What?”

“Hey, kitty, when are ya coming home to use the litter box?” The sultry sound of Ren’s voice on the other side made him wish for Sparrc’s.

“You’re still in town?”

“Of course. I couldn’t leave while my Ryder is still out there. I haven’t even tasted him yet.”

Cain rolled his eyes at the pout in her voice. He would rather stand on Kiera’s street corner any day then have to deal with Ren’s high-maintenance ass.

“What do you want?”

“The twins are being fucking lame and want to sleep. Like they need it or something. I need someone to come with me to search for him.”

“Take one of the base-liners. They’re still there, aren’t they?” Cain took a deep breath after his words, savoring Kiera’s strengthening scent to help calm his nerves.
Wait.
Cain jerked the phone away from his face and sniffed the air. Kiera’s scent was stronger, thicker, headier, making his cock pulse desperately in his pants, while the animal in him roared.

He hit the end button on his smart-phone and shoved the damned thing back into his pants. Her scent was moving.
She’s on ground level.
He made quick work crossing the street and headed behind her apartment building. Just as he rounded the corner, he saw a shadowed form disappear into the thick, wooded area.

She’s running from me.
The animal in him begged to give chase, to capture his prey. He followed her into the darkness of the trees, trailing her by scent alone. She was cautious with her steps and moving quickly.
The Immortal in her.
His beast flexed its claws as pride swelled in his belly. She was like him, now, and going to live forever.

She was quick, but he was faster and more skilled.
Hundreds of years of practice, baby.
He wasn’t far behind her. Twenty yards at the most, but he couldn’t fully make out her form; trees and darkness shrouded her from him.

What is she doing out here?
But as soon as he thought the question, he knew the answer. Her animal didn’t like being caged in that apartment. Her leopard itched to get out and go for a run. His dick pulsed painfully, in no way deterred by the chase. Her pace slowed as she neared the edge of a small clearing, lit brightly with moonlight. She hesitated on the edge, as if her body refused to go any farther.

What is she doing?

Her hesitation lasted only a moment before she launched herself forward into the center of the clearing. The moonlight bathed her form … a form he didn’t recognize, though he had no doubt it was her. His blood rushed in his ears as he swept his gaze up and down her body. Her long red hair hung loose along her back and down a physique that was different, thicker, curvier than her body had been before.

His heartbeat was like a train in his ears, overwhelming any other sounds, merging into his brain like the thundering bass of a car stereo system. The simple running shorts she wore were pink and fit tightly over the thick backside she hadn’t had before. The loose T-shirt didn’t hide the womanly curves of her hips that flared from a perfect-sized waist.

He seemed frozen in time as she glanced over her shoulder. The moment lasted forever as her hair swept along her back, brushing against the cotton of her shirt with a whisper. Her full lips came into view, pink and parted, inviting him for a taste.