Chapter Two

The burgers were cooked to near perfection, but what he really wanted wasn’t on the menu. The only thing that would satisfy him would be to strip Cassie bare and taste every inch of her lush body before driving into her tight heat and fucking them both into oblivion.

Her blood would be so sweet.

Not going to happen.

He swallowed heavily and tossed back another whiskey.

He was vigilant during sex, keeping his blood needs strictly separate. He couldn’t live with himself if he ever injured an unsuspecting woman. And it would be so easy to do, in the heat of the moment. But there was something about Cassie that tempted him to take the risk.

Stupid. Definitely not a good idea. Remember the contract.

He shifted slightly on the stool, trying to ease the discomfort as his jeans suddenly seemed a size too small. His stomach growled, reminding him of what he was supposed to be doing.

But first, he needed to answer her question. “Traveling.” He shrugged. “I want to see the North.”

Her brows lowered and her smile slipped away. “Ah, don’t you have enough snow and ice in Russia? I mean, Siberia and all.”

“I like the cold.” As a polar, he hated any kind of warm temperatures. Since the vampire bite, he could tolerate warmth, sometimes even craved it, but he loved the icy chill of the snow. There was nothing better than being in his animal form and sliding on his belly across an icy lake. Pure heaven.

She shivered. “Who in their right mind likes the cold?”

“You’re here.” And that was a puzzle. He was fond of puzzles, enjoyed figuring them out. And he was good at it. One of the many reasons he excelled at his chosen profession. He had patience, a keen mind, innate curiosity, and tenacity—the total bear package.

“You got me there.” Her voice was low and sultry, but he didn’t sense she was trying to be that way. It was her natural tone. It didn’t help the situation with his jeans one bit. Thankfully, the sweater he wore came down long enough to cover his crotch. Not that she could see it when he was sitting.

“So why are you here?” Since his burgers were getting cold, he picked up one and took a bite. Sex and blood might be off the table, but he could satiate one hunger.

She nibbled on her bottom lip. It was plump and moist, and he longed to taste it. A low groan escaped him.

“Enjoying the burger?”

Good thing she had no idea she was the real cause. That would be awkward. He nodded and swallowed before he spoke. “It’s good.”

“I’ll be sure to tell the cook.” She walked away without answering his question.

Interesting. She was friendly and seemingly outgoing, but she kept her cards close to her chest.

Too bad there is a contract on her life.

But he hadn’t come here to fulfill it. Not yet. He was still gathering information—something he did before signing off on any job. And for the life of him, he didn’t understand why someone wanted this woman dead.

But he, better than anyone, knew appearances were deceiving. Some paranormals were masters at deception, monsters hiding behind a pretty face. He’d have to hang around town and get to know her better.

This job was suddenly looking up.

Without his having to ask, she started to refill his whiskey glasses. He stopped her before she poured more than the second one. “Coffee. Please,” he added.

It wasn’t his imagination that she seemed relieved. A human would be drunk with the amount of alcohol he’d already consumed. Better to stop now and put her at ease, assure her she wasn’t dealing with a drunk.

“Coffee it is.” She removed the empty glasses. While her back was turned, he tossed back the final one and set the glass on the counter as she returned with a mug filled with dark roast.

She didn’t comment on the glass but simply removed it and the plates he’d cleaned off. Leaning his forearms on the counter and sandwiching his mug between his hands, he watched her work. It was a dance, a ballet, her movements fluid and unhurried, yet she got things done quickly and efficiently. He appreciated that quality.

As the night progressed, the men in the back got rowdier. About half the crowd had called it a night. The music on the jukebox had switched from country to rock.

The clock on the wall read one o’clock. The place shut down at two, so she’d be announcing last call soon.

He stood and went down the short hallway to the bathroom, taking his time using the facilities and washing his hands. He still had almost another hour until closing. Not that watching Cassie was any hardship. She drew his attention without even trying.

He’d just left the men’s room when he heard the sound of a raised male voice followed by Cassie’s low, calm tone. But he detected an edge of worry. Striding down the hall, he entered the main area. Everyone else had departed but the four men in the back who’d been playing pool and drinking all evening. They’d been well on their way to drunk when he’d arrived earlier.

She’d been limiting them all evening, making them order food every now and again. But some of the other regulars had bought beer and delivered it to the pool area. He didn’t think she’d noticed as she’d been busy. There was no waitress working tonight. Was it always this way? Just her and the cook in the back? And the cook had closed the kitchen a short time ago. For all Alexei knew, he’d already gone home, leaving her to work alone.

He didn’t like that. Not one bit.

He headed toward the pool area, keeping his expression neutral.

I’m not here to kill anyone.

If he did anything to spook her, she’d run. Then he’d be stuck having to hunt her down again.

And he’d had a tough enough time the first go around, even though the person trying to hire him had given him a general area. Northern Canada and Alaska covered a hell of a lot of territory, and it had taken him two months to track her to this location. He had no intention of losing her now that he’d found her.

He stopped alongside her, calm and centered and ready for anything. “Problem?”

…

She should have known better. She tried to monitor this particular group every time they stopped by The Pit, but it wasn’t easy. When she wouldn’t serve them, they had friends buy them beer. Since Patty, the only waitress, had quit and run off with her new boyfriend earlier in the week, she’d been working solo. Pete didn’t count since he stayed in the kitchen.

She’d managed because all the locals were used to her. But she couldn’t be everywhere at once. Now, the men were all more than a little drunk and not ready to go home.

While she appreciated the gesture, the last thing she needed was Alexei getting involved. He was a stranger, an unknown element to toss into a potentially volatile mix. She could handle John Jacobs and his merry band of friends on her own. Trouble was to be avoided at all costs. That brought attention. Something she couldn’t afford. “No, no problem.”

She smiled at John. Smiling in tense situations always seemed to confuse men. “There’s no problem, is there, Sam?” she appealed to one of the more level-headed members of the group. Or at least she hoped he’d be the voice of reason. There was no telling how he’d be now that he was drunk.

Her boss wouldn’t appreciate the negative publicity if she had to call the local law. It would piss off the locals, who’d take their business elsewhere. These might be drunken idiots, but they had a wide circle of friends and family. Small towns were always a balancing act.

“We’re not ready to go. Give us another drink, Cass.” John grinned. Okay, it was more of a leer really. “Be nice.”

“I’ll serve you coffee. That’s on the house. You need to sober up before you leave. Can I call anyone to come and get you?” No way could she allow any of these four idiots to drive. They’d probably wreck their car and end up in hospital or dead. And she couldn’t let them walk. It was too far from town. In spite of the alcohol content in their blood, they’d likely pass out somewhere and freeze to death in a short time.

And that would bring reapers. Something to be avoided at all costs. As it was, she’d had to bottle up her abilities—which included an inner awareness that allowed her to discern when someone was going to die. It would have been useful to scan everyone so she could avoid the dying, but using that skill would send out a signal that could be tracked.

She also couldn’t sense a person’s emotions. Not like she once could.

It was like being blind in many ways. Cut off from gifts she’d had her whole existence. The only upside was her other senses had developed to a far greater degree since she’d been on the run.

“Coffee.” John scowled and swaggered toward her, pool stick in hand. “Fuck coffee. Right, boys?”

“Yeah,” they all chorused.

He gave her what he probably assumed was a charming smile. “Come on. Give us a beer.”

No way could she give in. If she did it once, they’d never stop bending the rules. “No can do. I’ll get your coffee.” As she turned to walk away, he reached out to grab her. Expecting it, she was already sidestepping.

Before she could react or he could touch her, his hand was snared and easily held. “You don’t want to do that.” Alexei’s voice was calm and laidback, but there was an edge of steel to it.

“Stay out of this, buddy.”

“Alexei,” the big man corrected.

John frowned, confused. All that beer was obviously impacting what little good sense he possessed. Not that he had a whole lot to begin with, but when he wasn’t drinking, he was usually easy to manage.

“I don’t give a fuck what your name is. Stay out of this.” He yanked his arm free. “Bring us some beers.”

Standing her ground, she crossed her arms over her chest. “No. Coffee or nothing.” She peered over his shoulder at the other three. “Don’t make me have to call the law. I don’t want any trouble here.”

The threat was a mistake. Because of Alexei and his intervention, John was bristling for a fight. He smashed the cue stick against the table, cracking the top off and leaving a jagged edge.

“You want trouble? I’ll give you trouble.”

“Come on, man. Let’s just go,” one of his buddies muttered in a worried tone. But it was too late for him to intervene.

John lurched forward, brandishing the broken stick like a spear, thrusting it toward Alexei’s stomach. The big man captured it with one hand, holding it easily when John tried to pull it away.

Alexei gave one yank, and both man and stick went flying toward him. At the last second, he released his makeshift weapon and stumbled back. Alexei examined the broken stick and proceeded to crack it into little bitty pieces. With his bare hands.

When he was done, there was a pile of small shards at his feet. He dusted off his hands. “You need coffee.” It wasn’t a question but a pronouncement.

All the men but John nodded. He seemed befuddled and then angry. He took a step toward Alexei, who simply held up his hand.

“Don’t.”

Tension thrummed through her. She had no doubt that Alexei would fight, if necessary, and he’d wipe the floor with all four. There was a quiet competence about him, something that announced he had nothing to prove and nothing to lose.

She wondered what his story was. But she’d never ask. He might ask about her past.

Two of John’s buddies latched on to his arms and pulled him back. “We’ll take that coffee, Cassie.” Sam gave her protector a sidelong glance. “If it’s no trouble,” he added.

“No trouble at all.” The faster she could sober them up, the better. Hurrying behind the counter, she grabbed the pot of coffee she’d brewed for just this purpose. It didn’t take her long to pour up four mugs. She added two more, one for her and Alexei, doubtful he’d be going anywhere until the four idiots left.

A much more subdued group finally departed a half hour later, after allowing her to call a family member to come pick them up.

Alexei was still seated at the bar sipping coffee when she watched the taillights of the car disappear through the window and locked the door. Leaning against it, she studied him. He was the quintessential mountain man, quiet and strong. But she sensed there were a whole lot of layers to him.

It was tempting to drop the walls she’d erected and scan his emotions to see what she could learn. With a shudder, she suppressed the urge. She’d come too far to do something stupid just because she was attracted to the man.

“Thanks.” She pushed away from the door and headed back to finish her closing routine. “I appreciate your help, but I could have handled it.”

“I know.”

A flick of a switch shut down the main lights, leaving only the security ones on. “Then why did you get involved?” She tilted her head, studying him in the dim light. He kept his head down, as though fascinated by his coffee mug.

“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should have to.”

Wow, he was a knight in shining armor under all that hair and his thick knit sweater. It was one of the nicest things anyone had ever done for her.

He had no idea the only thing that could end her existence was Death’s scythe or one of his sickles, and there weren’t a lot of them floating around. Only the head reapers had them.

“Well, thank you.” She came back around the bar, and Alexei spun around on the stool so he was facing her. “You know he isn’t going to let this go, right? He’ll sober up and remember how you stopped him. His buddies will tease him, and he’ll convince himself the only reason you stopped him was because he was drunk.”

“I know.” Once again, he seemed totally unconcerned.

“You going to be around long?” If he was leaving Nome, then it wouldn’t be a problem. John and his friends would come back and hassle her, but she’d cajole them out of their anger. After all, there weren’t so many places around where they could drink and play pool that they’d risk getting banned for life.

Maybe.

The male ego was such a fragile and unpredictable thing. Men had started wars over some perceived slight.

“Depends.”

After about thirty seconds of silence, she realized he was done talking. “On what?” Not that she had a right to know, but she wanted to.

“You.”

His blunt statement took her off guard. “Me? What about me?”

He remained seated but reached out and hooked his hand behind her waist and sort of corralled her against his chest. His impossibly wide chest.

“What are you doing?” Excitement and a sense of anticipation sent her heart racing.

“Complicating things.”

What does that mean?

He pressed his lips against hers. They were soft and firm. Warmth spread from where they touched and traveled throughout her body, driving back the ever-present chill. She curled her fingers into his sweater to steady herself. The heat from his big body surrounded her.

In spite of his size, he was extremely gentle. Most likely because of his size he was used to having to be careful.

His beard was a soft brush against her chin. Her breath hitched in her throat when he eased away. His eyes seemed to glow. Then he blinked and they were normal again. A trick of the light and the passion clouding her brain.

He inhaled sharply, his massive chest expanding. Wow, that kiss was tame by most people’s reckoning, but it sure packed a punch. Her knees were weak and her pulse fluttered wildly.

He rested his forehead against hers and heaved a sigh. “That was nice.”

Surprised, she laughed. He sat upright, a scowl on his face. She laughed even harder.

“You’re the master of understatement,” she told him once she got control of herself. The corners of his mouth twitched but didn’t turn upward. Not quite. She wanted to see him smile, more than she should. Even more, she wanted to be the one to make it happen.

He pressed his mouth against hers, tracing his tongue over her bottom lip.

The surge of sensual arousal shocked her. Her nipples were taut buds, pressing against the cups of her bra. She wanted to rub them against the hard planes of his chest to ease the ache. Her skin was incredibly sensitized. The slightest touch, even the air, was magnified a hundredfold. A low pulse throbbed low in her belly. When her lips parted on a groan, he thrust his tongue inside.

A supernova exploded inside her. Energy crackled all around them.

He cupped the back of her head in one large palm and tilted it to the side, deepening the contact.

She dug her fingers into his massive shoulders, which felt more like iron than flesh and blood, so she didn’t end up melting in a puddle at his feet. He was so big, so vital and alive. She could get up close and personal without any worry. Talk about a turn-on.

But what about her?

A relationship was out of the question. It could, and probably would, be used against her. Those searching for her might threaten to take his soul if she didn’t return to the fold.

Assuming she still had a place there and they weren’t just looking to end her.

Like a shot of arctic air blasting over her skin, the thought cooled her ardor. She shoved against the same shoulders she’d clung to only seconds before.

He released her immediately, his hands dropping back by his sides. “What’s wrong?”

It wasn’t something she could easily explain. Her life was too complicated and unbelievable. And while she might no longer be on the job, secrecy was ingrained into every molecule of her being. “Nothing.” She shook her head. “Everything.” Her laugh was strained, filled with desperation, longing, and loss. She wasn’t normal and never would be.

“You should probably go.” It would be safer for everyone concerned if he went away. The sense of loss threatened to crush her, which was ridiculous. It was impossible to miss what she’d never had.

Alexei slid off the stool, towering over her. Damn he was big. It would be impossible to make him leave if he didn’t go willingly.

He hesitated for a split second, then nodded and headed toward the door. That was it. No objection. No questions.

She followed, waiting as he pulled a knit hat out of his back pocket and jammed it on his head. After unlocking the door, she opened it and peered out at the parking lot. There was no vehicle there.

“How are you getting back to town?”

“Walking.” He went outside and inhaled the chilly night air. Standing in the doorway, she shivered.

“Is there anyone I can call to give you a ride?” She didn’t like sending him out in the dark, frigid night alone. It had nothing at all to do with not wanting to let go of this evening.

“I’ll be fine.” He started to walk, his boots crunching against the snow. The wind gusted around him, flicking the tips of his hair that extended from beneath his cap.

It would be stupid to ask him to stay. Right? Having him leave was the right thing to do.

Don’t do something you’ll regret.

Sighing, she ignored her rational reasoning. “Wait.”

He stopped but didn’t turn to face her.

“It’s late and it’s a long walk back to town.” She was nervous and she was never nervous. Something about him both unsettled and excited her. “I have a sofa you can crash on.”

It was the sensible thing to do. While she might not be ready to quite jump in bed with him, she didn’t want to let him walk away, either.

As he turned, the snow blew between them, a filmy white curtain. He looked perfectly at home in the wintery setting while she was trembling with the chill.

Then the corners of his mouth tilted upward, and she was lost.

After making sure the door was secured, she held out her hand, and he took it. His skin was warm despite his lack of gloves. “Just the sofa,” she reminded him. And herself.

He nodded. For some unknown reason, she trusted him to keep his word. She wouldn’t have to stay awake all night fearing he’d try to sneak into her bed uninvited.

“This way.” One of the perks of her job was the small apartment above the bar, which was part of her salary. Not having to pay rent and getting decent tips along with a regular wage gave her enough money to live on. Things weren’t cheap up north.

She hurried up the stairs, very aware of him following right behind her. Her hands shook as she unbolted the lock. She, a woman who’d guided the spirits of beggars and kings alike, who’d seen the rise and fall of every civilization since the dawn of mankind, was nervous.

“Come in.” When she hurried inside, he was right behind her. The door closed with a solid thunk and the lock was engaged with a click.