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Kristina
I stretch, slowly opening my eyes, only to notice that I’m completely alone. The heavy downpour I hear outside confirms Hayden’s earlier prediction of rain. A quick glance to the door reveals the sun is low in the sky, a sure sign it has begun its descent. God, how long have I been asleep? I sit up, confused. Where is Hayden? I blink several times as I scan the interior for any sign of him, but he’s not here.
Pulling the blanket over my shoulders, I scamper to my feet. Spotting my discarded clothing on the floor where Hayden had dropped each and every item as he took them off, I pick them up and dress as quickly as I can manage while holding on to the blanket to keep from freezing my ass off. There’s a cold draft coming in from the slit left by the door, which means it’ll be one cold night.
I sit on the makeshift bed Hayden put together for us to lie on, tying the laces of my second shoe, when the unmistakable sound of a gun going off resonates someplace nearby. In seconds, I’m on my feet and searching for the gun Grandma gave me. I check that it’s loaded, and run toward the exit. All I can think of is Hayden. To have made it this far, only to have him get caught. Oh, God. What was he thinking?
I shove the door open, jump down, and scan the area, frantically trying to find any signs of Hayden. My heart tightens in despair. I don’t see him anywhere. The what-ifs flood my mind. The thought of him being dragged off to an undeserved destiny fills my heart with dread.
I decide on running forward, toward a nearby path that breaks away from the main road, revolver clutched in my right hand. I make it to the woods, aware I might have to use the gun to protect Hayden, but if it comes down to it, I won’t hesitate to ensure his safety.
Heart pounding, I cross a short distance before rustling from the branches above forces me to stop abruptly. I slip on the muddy ground and fall on my ass. I point the revolver in front of me at the sound of a breaking branch, surveying the area for any indication that someone or something is heading right toward me.
“Kristina.” His voice is like a godsend, filling me with hope. Movement above catches my eye. I glance up to see Hayden jump down from a height of over twenty feet, and land without a sound five paces in front of me. “We have to get going.”
I pick myself up, surprised to see he’s alive and well, when in my mind, he had already been taken away with a multitude of injuries and bleeding profusely.
“Hayden...?” I hurl myself at him, securing my arms around his midsection. “I heard the gunshot. I thought...you...were...dead.” I bury my face in his wet T-shirt, thankful to see that he’s okay.
He returns the embrace, crushing me to him as his lips graze the top of my head. “I had to make it difficult for them to follow us out of here. Two of them are still looking for us. We have to move out of the area.” He plants several kisses on my cheek, nose, and then mouth. “I’m sorry I scared you,” he whispers against my ear.
“I’m just glad you’re still with me,” I tell him.
He tears himself from me to grab hold of my wrist. “Let’s go.”
I nod and we race to the trailer together. We pack up in a rush and drive off in the Jeep.
***
What should have been a thirteen-hour drive with breaks in between turns into a grueling sixteen hours of dodging major roads and taking the longer route as we try to avoid yet another ambush. Exhausted, sleepy, and in much need of a reprieve from the Jeep and the road, we finally arrive at our destination, which turns out to be nothing like I expected.
After Ray’s, I assumed we’d end up in another house in the middle of nowhere, but instead we stop in front of three-story building with what appears to be an electronic repair shop on the first floor.
“Is this it?” It’s a little past ten o’clock in the evening so the shop is closed, all the lights are off. I double-check the map and the address just to make sure we’re at the right place, but I quickly confirm we are not lost. “I guess so.”
“There’s someone inside,” Hayden observes.
“There is?” I don’t see anyone, but if he says there is I’ll trust his instinct. “Maybe we should go have a look.”
The building stands alongside a bakery and a barber shop on a lonely, dark street. Aside from Hayden and me, I see no other patrons up and about. This strikes me as odd, but then, I’m unfamiliar with the regular nightly activities of this particular neighborhood.
We stroll up to the entrance, apprehension eating away at me during the short walk. What are we going to find here? Is he or she another of Gerard’s many victims? Though I have no reason to believe otherwise, I wonder if we’re marching into a trap. If this entire experience has taught me anything, it is to always expect things to go wrong at any moment.
I swallow my fear, and reach out to knock on the door, but Hayden suddenly positions himself in front of me, blocking my view.
“What is it?” I ask, my gaze flickering to the glass as movement catches my attention.
“Werewolf.”
Already both my mind and heart are racing. Werewolf? Why would Grandma send me to a werewolf?
Bells jingle as the door to the shop opens. Hayden’s shoulders tense simultaneously.
“Kristina?” Hearing an unfamiliar male voice say my name forces a lump to form in my throat.
“You know us?” Hayden takes it upon himself to ask exactly what I’d wanted to.
“Yes,” the man says to Hayden. To me he says, “Kristina, you can face me. I mean you no harm.”
“You’re a...” I can’t even bring myself to say it. The whole idea sounds so freaking nuts. I’m still having a hard time assimilating this whole supernatural theme in spite of everything that’s happened.
“Yes, and I can tell you more away from perked ears.”
I glance around Hayden’s arm at the tall individual standing before us, and for some reason he strikes me as familiar. Dark eyes and hair, tall and lean with broad shoulders...and he’s a werewolf?
“Drake?”
A genuine smile spreads across his face. “Rose told you about me, I see.”
Unsure still, I slip my hand in Hayden’s before standing to one side of him. The action doesn’t go unnoticed by Drake. His eyes flick from our joined hands to our faces, but he hides whatever he’s thinking well. Not even a hint of curiosity is present.
“Grandma told me to come here.”
With a slight dip of his head, Drake says, “Let’s head on upstairs so that we can get better acquainted.” Glancing over Hayden’s right shoulder, he eyes the Jeep and says, “Is that the transportation Ray provided for you?”
I nod. “Look, Drake, we appreciate the offer but by midnight tonight we have to go meet someone and we have about a forty-five minute drive to get there.”
“We can’t leave the Jeep out here. Chances are someone will see and recognize it. If someone followed you, it won’t take long for them to track you down to this place. Get your things. We’ll take them upstairs into the spare bedroom. I have a car out that we can use.”
“What about the Jeep?” I ask.
“Wait for me upstairs. I’ll get rid of it and return. Just give me ten minutes.”
Hayden and I look at each other, undecided. Because Drake is on Grandma’s list of contacts I’m supposed to trust him, but I have an uneasy feeling. Of course, that might have to do with the fact that he’s a werewolf. Should I be concerned over our welfare?
“Come on,” Hayden pulls me along as he strides to the Jeep. As if to calm my nerves, he says, “He’s being truthful.”
“If we want to meet with this Nyall guy, we have to leave in like the next fifteen minutes.”
“You worry too much,” he teases, his eyes twinkling with amusement. I’m a little stunned to see this side of him because it never shows. He’s always dead serious and thoughtful, full of concerns, though I doubt he will ever reveal what’s in his mind. Unlike me, I don’t think he talks unless he absolutely has to.
“And you don’t worry enough.”
“I can sense danger, remember?”
True, but I’m no less nervous. The past few days have been nothing short of chaotic. “Okay, let’s just get this over with.”
After retrieving the bags, I hand the keys over to Drake and follow him in silence as he leads us through the store and to a set of doors at the very back of the building. Once he unlocks them, he continues up a set of wooden stairs to another door at the top, which he opens with a bronze key.
We make our way inside to a small but comfortable living space. A couch, bookcase, TV stand, and side tables are the only furniture in the room.
“The spare bedroom is through here.” Drake saunters across the living room to a green door to the right side of the TV stand, and opens it. “You can leave your belongings inside.” Pointing to a narrow hallway on the other side of the room he says, “Bathroom is the last door to the left. Help yourselves to anything that’s in the fridge. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He acknowledges me with a dip of the head before exiting the apartment, leaving Hayden and me alone once more.
“He’s the same Drake Grandma talked about.” I shake my head, and run one hand over my face. “I might never get used to all the weirdness. Or the chaos.” Werewolves, vampires, mad scientists? Had someone told me I’d be pulled into the paranormal world, and be forcefully introduced to what many humans lay ignorant of, I would have laughed my ass off. As it turns out, there’s nothing funny about the mess I’m in.
Hayden turns sympathetic eyes to me. “If I apologize, it will be halfheartedly. I cannot put things as they were before, but I promised to protect you no matter what happens.” As if to emphasize his words, he draws me to him and wraps his arms around my shoulders. Gently, he lays a kiss on my forehead. “And I will.”
He’s been kind, compassionate, and patient in spite of how often I expressed my concerns about him, which says a lot about who he is. He’s more human than the men chasing us, and regardless of his upbringing, has demonstrated a set of morals hard to come by this day and age.
We’re more comfortable with each other, too. Maybe what happened between us at the trailer has a lot to do with it. Against my better judgment, I’ve begun to care a lot more for him, and this scares me as much as the possibility of having to face my growing feelings for him, eventually.
“Are you thirsty?” I tear myself from his embrace, needing suddenly to put some distance between us. “I’m not sure about you, but I’m dying for something other than water to drink.” I run off into the kitchen, aware of his eyes on me as I walk away. I stroll up to the refrigerator, and take a moment to study the contents. The fridge isn’t stocked to bursting, but I pick out two cans of Pepsi and a pair of string cheese sticks to snack on before returning to the living room where Hayden is now sitting on the one couch.
“Here, try this.” I hand him the can of Pepsi. “You might like it.”
He takes it from me and rotates it around as he inspects it. “What is this?”
“A beverage. It’s full of sugar and caffeine and God knows what else, but it’s good.” I take a seat next to him, setting the packets of string cheese in between us. “Give it a try.” I open my can to show him how to do it. “Don’t shake it, though.”
He follows my example, opening the can with ease.
“Now take a sip. Tell me what you think.” Since he wasn’t too fond of coffee, I’m thinking he might not appreciate a can of Pepsi, either, but at least he’ll have one more new experience.
He hesitates but a moment before tipping the can over and taking a sip. He swallows, brow lifting as he inspects the can with a look of confusion. “It’s very sweet...and...bubbly.”
I crack a smile at his description. “Sounds about right.”
Tentatively, he ventures another sip. “I’m not used to anything but water.”
“A lot of things are new to you, right?” I offer him a packet of string cheese. “You seem to enjoy cheese, based on what you’ve eaten so far. I thought you’d like this.”
He takes it from me, but looks on in confusion. “How...?”
I bite down on my lower lip to keep from laughing at his expense, and show him how to tear through the plastic to get to the cheese. Watching him undergo a series of new adventures has been a journey all on its own. He’s like a child learning how to live.
He observes attentively and then gives it a try, managing to clear the snack of its wrapper in a split second. “Controlling my impulses is hard work. I have to constantly remind myself to keep from giving away too much.”
I tear off a piece of string cheese and put it in my mouth, regarding him as he does the same.
“I like this,” he comments with a slight lift of the brow.
“Hayden...” I fidget with the cheese, uncomfortable meeting his gaze though I can sense him studying me in return. “At the trailer...we, uh...” I let my voice trail off, mortified by what I want to ask but lack the courage to.
“We...mated?”
I’m sure he can see my cheeks filling up with color. “Mated?” Of course he would call it that. How else would he refer to it? I doubt they provided any sexual education classes at the Institute, so he couldn’t call it consensual sex between two adults. “Um, yes. Well, I...it...” What do I mean to say? I’m having trouble coming up with the right way to express my concerns without hurting his feelings. I can’t expect him to think of our encounter as something casual and nothing more. Neither can I assume he’s going to fall head over heels for me. I’m stuck, unsure if I should label what happened between us, when it’s unclear what’s going on in my own head and heart.
He looks at me with eyes full of indecision. “Does it make you uncomfortable?”
“Not exactly,” I admit, though I’m not being entirely truthful. I am troubled, but only because I’ve begun to see him differently even when that’s the one thing I shouldn’t do. “Well, I don’t regret it, if that’s what you’re asking.”
His face relaxes under my admission. “Neither do I.”
I decide to ask how exactly he feels about us, but the front door opens and Drake steps in.
“The Jeep has been left concealed in an abandoned junk yard, nearby.” He looks at me and then at Hayden. “Should we get a move on?”
Hayden and I scurry to our feet.
“Let’s get going,” I say, taking the can of Pepsi and string cheese along as we make our way out of the building and to a private parking lot behind it, where a lone, four-door Toyota is parked. We hop in, and once Drake has programmed the address into the GPS system, we’re off.