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Chapter 14

Regan lounged against the wall, arms folded across her chest, as she waited for Caleb to emerge from the elevator.

Exhaustion tugged at her mind. She’d spent the whole night and most of the day going through the Council’s archives, trying to find something, anything that could help her either find Ethan or reverse the werewolf bite. She’d found nothing and had finally left Catrin to continue while she came back here to meet Caleb.

The elevator doors slid open, and she watched as he strode out and across the floor. For a moment, their eyes clashed, and the shroud of weariness lifted from her mind. Then he turned away to talk to the woman at the reception desk. Regan straightened and moved in a little closer, wanting to hear the conversation. She found this whole “normal life” thing fascinating.

“You have a finance meeting at ten tomorrow morning,” Gretchen told him.

Caleb glanced toward Regan before answering. “Cancel it. I won't be in tomorrow.”

“But—”

Caleb turned away without waiting for the woman to finish. He came toward Regan, moving like some sort of jungle animal, radiating a leashed power that had the blood thundering in her veins. How could he pass for normal? How could they not see him for what he really was?

Then she glanced at the receptionist and realized in all likelihood he wasn't fooling anybody. The woman's eyes were fixed on him as he walked away. They might not know what he was, these people who worked with him daily, but they recognised him as something more than human.

“I think your receptionist has a hankering for you,” she murmured as Caleb came to a halt in front of her. “I may have to turn her into a toad after all.”

A look of surprise flickered in his eyes. He glanced back then smiled. “No need to be jealous. I never have relationships with people at work.”

“Who said I was jealous?” She studied him closely. “So, you don't have relationships with your own kind, and you don't have relationships with people at work. Who do you have them with, Caleb?”

“If I need it badly enough, I pick up a woman in a bar. We have sex, and that’s it.”

“Hmm, you know, I think you’re even sadder than I am. At least I have Catrin and Gina and Lola. Who do you have, Caleb? Don’t you ever feel lonely?”

He took a minute to answer. “Probably. I don’t really think about it.”

“Perhaps you should.”

He shrugged. “What good would it do?” He put his hand to her shoulder, tugged her toward him, and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Just in case the toad has any ideas,” he said, drawing back.

The brief taste of him woke the hunger slumbering inside her. She was suddenly aware that it was late in the day, and soon the full moon would rise. She wanted Caleb as she could never remember wanting anyone before.

She hooked her hand around the back of his neck and dragged him to her. Staring into his dark eyes, she recognized her own hunger reflected there.

“A kiss like that will just give her ideas,” she whispered. “But a kiss like this—”

She kissed him, putting all her need and desire into her embrace, not hiding anything. For a moment, he resisted, then he moved closer until his body touched hers, his mouth opened, and his tongue thrust into her, filling her with the hot, wet taste of him.

She forgot everything, where she was, who she was, and inside her wolf awoke, threw back her head, and filled Regan’s mind with a howl to be free. She sensed Caleb’s wolf answer, and he went still against her.

He drew back and stared down at her, his expression vaguely rueful, and Regan had to fight the urge to pull him back into her arms. Then she remembered where they were. They were in a busy reception area, surrounded by humans, perhaps not the best place to turn wolf and start howling.

She licked her lips, and his eyes followed the movement.

“Let’s get out of here,” she said.

He nodded.

“Where are we going?” she asked when they were in the car and driving out of the city.

“An area of forest about an hour away.”

“Is it safe?”

“It’s as safe as it can be that close to the city. It’s fenced and sign-posted as private.” He grinned. “I reckon anyone who ignores that deserves to get eaten.”