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Arriving in his neighborhood was bliss almost home. Even now, empty with half its life force missing and lost forever, it was still home. For a shifter, Colton had terrible senses. Most
shifters could sense the presence of werewolves miles away and their own kind nearly as far. Even the presence of pure-bloods didn t escape their attention. Not him. Might notice them a few
blocks away, might not. Depended on whether he was rested or not, and if his mind was otherwise occupied. There was something wrong with his radar. Mind you, he could shift instantly,
repeatedly, and into very nasty things, and& he had that other gift as well. Not entirely useless, then. It wasn t until he reached the corner of his street and the main road that he finally caught that
elusive prickle of magic in the air.
Someone was at his house. Uninvited and unknown, the scent of an unfamiliar aura and that someone would already have sensed him.
Utterly startled, Colton took his foot off the accelerator because all the blood was draining from his head. Shit! They couldn t possibly want to send him somewhere else! Not now. He
couldn t! God, he was half dead as it was. Without considering it for a second, he pulled into the nearest drive, turned around and went the other direction. They would follow it was just matter of
time.
Before he knew what he was doing, Colton was pulling into the underground parking lot at the mall. He hated being underground. Too smothering, but at least it was dark. He felt more
hidden, and maybe he could sleep for half an hour. The air smelled strongly of exhaust fumes, raw gasoline and stale popcorn but nothing else yet. Thirst grabbed him with its demanding
fingers, but he couldn t go into a public place in his condition and he couldn t make it anywhere else.
The road had come to a dead end. Bleakness was all the future had in store for him.
It was the end. No more!
There were public phones near the elevator. Fishing through his pocket, he found a couple of quarters amongst the pennies and gave one a twirl. Heads, he would phone Killian Frost and
ask for his answer, and tails, he would accept the fact that Mr. Killing Frost preferred to kill in an entirely different fashion and wouldn t do the real thing. Someone else he d find someone else.
The world was a big place. The coin fell. Heads.
Shit. He d been hoping for tails, not sure he could handle hearing Killian s beautiful voice again. It was a very long distance to the battered relic which insisted on being operational. Ready
or not, the call was answered on the third ring.  Hello?
Oh God! Killian s voice was better than he remembered, black velvet, even with the touch of suspicion in it. Colton let out his breath in a long sigh.  Killian?
A pause, then,  Hello, Blondie.
Wishing the vandalized phone would just electrocute him to death, Colton closed his eyes and got on with it.  Are you alone?
Another pause.  Yes.
Swallowing without any spit was a worthless exercise, but his voice felt ready to break.  I need your answer, he said under his breath since it was a public place.  Yes or no. Right now.
 Hardly a thing to be discussed over the telephone, pretty one. Where are you?
 Huh? I m at the mall. What s it matter? Holding the phone up to his ear took considerable effort.  Tell me now. Yes or no. I can t wait anymore.
 Come here.
So far! Too far.  Can t.
 Can t or won t?
 Can t, he answered. Why did this have to be so hard?  Not safe.
On the other end, Colton heard a sharp intake of breath.  Are you alone?
 For now. It was impossible to keep his eyes open any longer.  I have to go now, he whispered, then sadly,  goodbye, Killian. And he hung up the phone.
Maybe mall security would find him first, or maybe not. He d discover it in time. The red ribbon had fallen halfway to the floor when he d gotten out, but a kink caught the harsh fluorescent
light and shone darkly black licorice. With one last caress against his lips, Colton stuffed it carelessly into his front pocket and got in, falling asleep sitting straight up in the seat.
Someone was coming. He must be ready.
Chapter Twelve
Werewolf!
Waking in a panic, Colton jerked upright on the seat and received a ripping, tearing pain in his side for his efforts. With his heart racing at maximum speed, his arms flung up against the
steering wheel, gripping tightly, readying for violence.
Shift!
Harsh, numbing lights accosted him first, followed by the scent of burning sulfur and smoking matches, just a faint whiff mixed with an underlying musky scent a familiar scent. The owner
of the inexplicably tasty, burnt smell was opening the door. Killian Frost s huge body filled his closest exit.
 You stink, he said in greeting.
Recognizing Killian as the werewolf sensed in his dreams didn t calm him in the least. In fact, his heart sputtered, unable to beat faster.  Go away!
 Shut up, stinky one, and get in my car.
 No!
 Now s not a good time to be a defiant little bastard, he warned.  Get in the fucking car. The wolf s method of helping him hurt considerably. It was only steps to Killian s waiting car,
stopped as it was right in front of his, blocking it and hiding it from view. A second later, he was shoved in the back.  Stay down, he was ordered, and the door shut firmly against his not-quite-
retracted feet. A couple of electronic beeps later, Killian had locked the dead man s car, and the delicious, burning smell arrived in the car with him.
Staying down took no effort at all. In fact, it was impossibly easy. Afternoon sunshine stabbed at him through the windows, but other than that, the journey was pleasant, just tiny bits of red-
hot pain intermingled with burning in his bones and acid on his tongue. Now he d have to get used to Killian Frost all over again.
Inside Killian s garage, the oh-so-helpful hands were pulling him out by the feet.  Don t touch me! he yelled, only it sounded like a croak.  It fucking hurts!
 Then get yourself out.
Ahhhh& Mr. Frost. Big meanie. Crawling out backward was unpleasant, but not nearly as awful as Killian s big hands pulling on his hip. Standing up brought him face to face with his&
enemy.  You shouldn t have brought me here.
 Safest place for you. Nobody d ever think to look for you here.
Wouldn t they? Probably not. Maybe the nasty werewolf had a point. Why did he have to be so fucking clever?
 You smell like blood.
Hmmm& blood.  Feel free to let it get to you.
 Forget trying to provoke me, Blondie. I m tougher than you.
 You sure? Colton said seductively as he could manage.  Very taaasttty. Ungracefully, he stepped forward.  Isn t it delicious? Do you taste it on your tongue? Does it make you hot?
It was working Killian s breath was coming faster, his nostrils flaring. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]