Snowdonia 1 - Wolf at the Door (2 page)

“I can’t just put the tape on. It needs something underneath.” He seemed to smile at her, a distinctly wolfish grin. “Bandage!” She seized a roll of sterile bandage and tore it open. Holding his leg firmly, she wrapped until the bandage was all used. It was lumpy and uneven, and blood continued to ooze through the dressing. She repeated with a second roll. The bandage stood out in a white bump against the dark fur and blood
still
seeped to the surface. In desperation, she grabbed the roll of tape again. The dog looked alarmed by her sudden movement and she crooned to him, stroking his nose. Quickly as she could, she wrapped tape over the entire dressing. It stuck to his fur, but sealed the wound.
Finally
.

Feeling shaky, she sat back on the carpet and admired her effort. She’d stopped the bleeding—might have saved his life! When he lifted his huge, shaggy head and placed it in her lap, she nearly burst with pride. He really liked her.

Chapter 4

While the woman bumped and clattered in the kitchen, Jake took the opportunity to look around. The cottage felt cold, even to him, and he wondered why she didn’t use the fire. He’d seen a neat stack of logs outside and a basket of kindling near the front door. There was even a tidy pile of newspapers with a box of matches, everything to make a good fire.

She reappeared in the doorway, a large plate in her hand and a harried expression on her face. “I found steak in the fridge, so I’ve cut it into pieces for you.” A pretty flush rose over her cheeks. “There I go again, talking to you.” She placed the plate of food in front of him and he ate, careful not to make a mess. It amused him to eat in this fashion. Normally he sat at the table and used a knife and fork like everyone else.

He paused in his meal when she left the room, and then he heard water running and smelled citrus. She was taking a shower.
Dear God
. If he crept into the bathroom, he could watch… The idea danced before him. Unable to resist, he rose to his feet and padded quietly in search of her.

It’d been a long day—a long week really—and he desperately needed to rest in order for the healing process to work, but he couldn’t miss this opportunity to see her naked. She’d closed the bathroom door, much to his disgust, and so he had to content himself with lying on her bed.

As he waited for her to appear, he pondered how she could possibly be his Mate. Shifter-human pairings were unusual, especially for Pack leaders, but not impossible. He’d known for months that it was time to mate, had felt the call, but his search had proved futile. He’d been running to burn off his excess energy, to keep his raging libido under control, and had failed to see the aging trap underneath the tree. He’d been lucky; it was old and it hadn’t clamped shut, and he’d been able to wriggle free.

Jake buried his nose in the pillow, but it held none of her scent. She must have only just arrived. He took in the stack of luggage next to the bed. Well, duh. The bed was comfortable, soft pillows stacked high with a fine woolen blanket thrown across, and he snuggled into the depths and closed his eyes. Just for a minute.

*

Lillian frowned at the sight of the dog asleep on her bed. She had no intention of turning him outside, but it was a bit cheeky for him to just claim the bed—the only one in the cottage.

The warmth from the shower was rapidly fading, and she dug into her case to find her favorite pajamas, the cream flannel ones with snowflakes. Perfect for this icebox. She’d call the housekeeping service in the morning and if they couldn’t sort out some heating, she was leaving. Socks came next, and she smirked as she remembered the idiots in the service station. Her fans would expect her to go to bed in expensive lingerie or nothing at all.

Finally, before she slid under the covers, she reached for her phone, unsure if she wanted to check it or not.

No new calls or messages. Relief evaporated when Lillian realized she had no cell phone reception. Feeling like a masochist, she scrolled back through the most recent messages from Kurt and then mentally kicked herself.

Stupid
. Just like always. When would she learn?

The dog grunted in his sleep and Lillian smiled briefly. She had company in her bed for the first time in too many months … and she had her bottle of Jack Daniels waiting patiently on the bedside table. If she was going to be a slob, she may as well go all the way. She unscrewed the top and took a swig straight from the bottle.

It was official. She had just reached an all-time low.

Chapter 5

Lillian spun and shimmied on the dance floor. Strobes flashed, bathing her in neon lights and making the diamante jewels in her hair sparkle. She stamped her feet and smiled at her dancing partner, Kurt. The crowd didn’t bother her, didn’t surge and pester for her autograph, didn’t behave as they would in real life. That was the beauty of dreams—she could control her world for once. In this dream she could have Kurt again, the illusion of him loving her. Tonight though, he seemed reluctant to move forward and dance. He hung back, just out of reach, and she realized he watched someone else.

Without missing a beat, she followed his gaze to the edge of the crowded dance floor. The mass of bodies weaved and bobbed, blocking her view, but then she caught a glimpse. A man. Watching
her
.

The breath caught in her throat. The dancers shifted and blocked him from sight but not before she saw his eyes. Sapphire blue. Even in the darkness of the club, they were brilliant. She’d seen him for just a second, but his image was burned into her brain. Tall, with shaggy, dark hair down to the collar of a black leather biker jacket covered with zippers, his arms behind him as he lounged against the wall. A scruff of stubble graced a proud chin beneath full, sensuous lips.

Remembering Kurt, she dragged her attention back, only to find him gone. She faltered, picking up the rhythm again moments later, but not before the crowd parted and the stranger emerged on the edge of the dance floor. He stood there, thumbs hooked into his belt loops and Lillian saw the rest of him. Lean body, tight black jeans, black boots, and a gaze that cut through her. Blinking, she focused on the music, a driving rock song that pulsed through her, but she couldn’t ignore him. Her eyes were drawn to him without conscious thought and she found him with a hint of a smile on his face, the lips curling up in the corners. He lifted one eyebrow and then, when he had her full attention, he raised one hand and beckoned to her with his fingers.

Outraged, she ignored him and turned away. This was
her
dream,
her
dance floor.
She
called the shots. The music slowed, dropping to a hypnotic pounding that vibrated through her and she found herself getting lost in the music Everything faded but the beat rolling through her and she wanted to share the pleasure, to dance with someone. She thought of the guy with the biker jacket and glanced over her shoulder to see if he was still there.

He hadn’t moved. His stare ate her up when she turned back to face him but now the smile had gone. Again, he gestured for her to go to him.
The cheek of it
.

She was intrigued by his attitude. Normally men went to her but this one looked dangerous and sexier than most. Did she fancy a walk on the wild side? She took a step toward him, then another. Why not. It was only a dream. If she reached out her hand, she could touch him now, but she didn’t. Instead, she waited.

“Closer,
Cariad
. I won’t bite.” Her stomach went into free-fall when he spoke. Didn’t
Cariad
mean “darling” in Welsh? She knew it was a term of endearment. Deep, silky, and with the local accent that was music to her ears, his words washed over her. The smile emerged again and grew to a distinctly wolfish grin. “At least, not
yet
.”

*

Jake had slipped into Lillian’s dream as easily as a pair of well-worn jeans. She fit him perfectly and he took his time, drinking his fill of her beauty. She was magnificent. Jake had never seen another woman, human or wolf, to even come close. It wasn’t just her perfect skin that begged to be stroked; her hair heated his blood to fever pitch. Fiery red, the color of flames at the heart of a fire; he longed to run his palms across it to see it if burned as bright as he imagined.

His wolf growled at the thought of other men dancing with her, touching her, and he had the idea that this was her natural habitat, every bit as much as the woods and mountains were his. A momentary doubt assailed him. Were they too different? He studied her expression, the barely concealed outrage that softened to amusement. She stood before him, hands on hips, head cocked to one side.

“I’ve seen you before, haven’t I? Your eyes are familiar.” He strained to hear her words above the music.

He had to touch her. Reaching out, he placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head to meet his eyes. She didn’t resist. “Dance with me.” He had the ability to join her sleeping world but not to control it. If he could, he would already have her panting and naked, lust glazing her expression as he ravished her body.

She seemed to fight an inner battle at his words and then shrugged with one shoulder, lazy and careless. “Sure. One dance.” She jerked her chin free and took a step back. “But only because I like this track. Okay?”

Jake recognized the song although he couldn’t give it a name. A sensuous bass beat with haunting female vocals, the lyrics murmured about promises freely given. He noticed her lips moving as she sang along. Striding forward, he took her in his arms and guided her to the center of the dance floor, right under the spotlight. Her hair glowed a fiery shade, the ends sparking where they caught the strobe.

Her smile threatened to undo him, especially when she wrapped herself around him, one hand stroking the fine hair at the back of his neck. “You remind me of the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood. Are you going to eat me all up?”

Chapter 6

Lillian decided she must be crazy. She never danced with fans, not even in her dreams, but there was something about this guy. He was familiar and yet strange, all at once. His body was hard-packed muscle, if the feel of his chest was anything to go by, and she surprised herself again by not objecting when he held her close. Closer even than Kurt would.

The intensity in those blue eyes … it felt as though he could read her thoughts. She pressed her lips close to his ear. “I don’t know your name.”

“I’m Jake Bledri.” He pronounced it
Blay-Dree.
He waited a beat. “And you’re gorgeous.”

His breath warmed her throat and sent a tremor through her. Unbidden, her mind wandered and she contemplated how it would feel if he kissed her there. She blinked and tried to sound scathing. “You’re a charmer, but I’m immune to flattery. Thanks for the dance, Jake.”

“It hasn’t finished yet,
Cariad
. Are you so keen to get rid of me?” One of his hands skimmed across her hip bone and landed squarely on her butt, holding her in place with an iron grip.

“Hands off.” It came out as a squeak and Lillian cleared her throat to try again, but then he gave her such a delicious, teasing smile that she was dazzled. It promised sin and seduction and drove every thought clean out of her head.

“So, what’s your name?”

He sounded genuine. Lillian wondered if it was possible to meet someone who had never heard of her.
Ella Hart
was famous everywhere. She returned his smile with a teasing one of her own. “What do you think it is?”

*

Mine
. Jake inhaled softly. He didn’t care what her name was, but if she wanted to play, he would go along with it. He teased at one of her corkscrew curls, watching with delight as it sprang back into shape and then darted her a mischievous glance. “Something … exotic. Hmmm. Angelica?” She shook her head. “Cherise?” Another shake. “Mimosa?” She giggled now and he redoubled his efforts. “Jasmine? Francesca? Pollyanna? India?”

“Jasmine sounds like a stripper name.” She pouted. “One last guess and if you get it wrong the dance is over.”

What
? He was done with games. Slipping one finger under her chin again, he angled her lips to be ready for him. He wanted to gorge on her. Devour her. Make her mindless with need, but there would be time for that later. Jake grazed his lips across the corner of her mouth, flicking his tongue along the seam. Dear God. He burned for her already. This may only be a dream but his cock was in danger of being strangled by his jeans.

“
Lillian
.” Her name reverberated through him. His Mate was called Lillian and what a beautiful name it was. He observed her carefully, noting belatedly the shock in her eyes.

“Okay, you dick-wad. How the hell did you know that?”

*

Lillian tried to free herself from Jake’s arms—if—if that was even his name—but he held her easily. Resting his forehead against hers, he gave a little sigh and then whispered to her. “It’s all a dream.
Your
dream. None of this is real.” His gaze seared her when he drew back.
The most real dream ever
. “How else could I possibly know your name,
Cariad
?”

Put like that, it sounded reasonable. She took a quick breath. “Okay,” she relaxed again, “you’re just a figment of my imagination. I can buy that.”

“Uh-huh.” That wicked smile was back. Her heart pitter-pattered some more. “And since this is all make believe…” He nuzzled the shell of her ear and she felt a surge of heat between her legs. “I want to go somewhere more private with you.”

“Where?”

She saw a flash of something in his eyes. “I know just the place. Close your eyes, baby.”

Chapter 7

The silence hit her first. The booming bass and background vibe of the club was gone. The dusty, slightly alcoholic smell was replaced by crisp pine and wood smoke.

Lillian opened her eyes and stared at the roaring fire burning in the grate and the snow-covered peaks peeping through the window. A full moon shimmered high in the sky casting a blue light over the mountains.