Untouched (13 page)

The confident, unapologetic look on his face told her he wouldn’t feel badly about admiring her. “Yes.” His lips curved into a lopsided grin. “I’m aware of that.”

He adjusted his position in the chair, those long strong legs of his splayed in an unspoken invitation. Before she could stop herself, her eyes darted to the obvious evidence of his arousal, which he did nothing to hide.

Whoa.

She threw back the last bit of water in her glass, wishing she’d poured whiskey instead.

“Listen, lover boy.” She placed the empty glass back on the bar behind her. “Let me clue you in on a little something. Experiencing mind-numbing pain and seeing horrifying visions is not exactly a
gift
.” Her voice rose, and she slowly moved closer to him as she spoke. “Never being able to hold someone who’s hurting and offer them comfort, never having anyone there to hold you when you’re scared or lonely. Childhood? Oh, that was fun! Do you have any idea how isolated I’ve been?”

She knew she sounded irrational, and quite possibly, completely hysterical, but she didn’t care. All the things she’d carried inside and harbored alone were finally coming out. He’d cracked the dam and now would have to suffer the consequences and endure the emotional flood. Tears stung at the back of her eyes, and her throat tightened. “My mother could barely stand the sight of me by the time I turned four. Do you have any idea how it feels to know that your own parents are afraid of you? I’ve spent almost my entire life alone.”

Kerry stood over him with her hands placed firmly on her hips as though she were daring him to call her crazy. Her throat was raspy and raw, her vision blurred by tears, but she could still see the look on his face. Then, even more clearly, she heard his voice in her head.
You
are
not
alone.

She squeezed her eyes shut and sat on the edge of the bed. “Stop that,” she said with a hitching breath. “Why can you do that?”

You
don’t find it enjoyable to speak with me this way?
His voice was seductive, and the extra emphasis he gave to “enjoyable” was laden with innuendo. She shot him a look of reprimand, but her body’s reaction completely contradicted it. When he spoke with her telepathically it tickled her inside and out. It felt intimate, inviting, and deliciously seductive.

“You are not alone, and you are certainly not the only one. I’m sure if you think about it you’ll realize that. There has always been one person you have had a connection with, and now there are two.” His voice remained calm, and the sound of it seemed to soothe her to the very core.

Samantha. She knew he was talking about Sam. It was true. She’d always been able to touch Sam. There had never been pain, and the only vision had been of a wolf. Dread crept up her belly as she realized what he was suggesting.

“That’s not exactly an answer,” she bit out. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, loathing the way she’d let her emotions get the best of her. “Tell me what is going on. Why can I touch Samantha? Why you? You are obviously not…” She trailed off, not sure what to say. She didn’t know what he was or even what he wasn’t.

He raised his eyebrows and looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to complete her thought. “Not what?”

“Not normal.” She licked her lips nervously. “Not human,” she said in barely audible tones.

Kerry expected him to scoff at her for even suggesting that he wasn’t human. To stand up and tell her she was crazy, but he did neither. Dante eyed her carefully, and leaning in, he rested his elbows on his knees. As he held her gaze, she couldn’t help but note the way his hair curled temptingly against his shirt collar. The hard, masculine plane of his forehead, his perfect nose, high cheekbones, and firm lips all came together to form the most handsome face she’d ever laid eyes on.

She’d always been attracted to him, but this very moment he looked dangerous, mysterious, and sexier than ever. She nibbled on her bottom lip nervously, waiting for him to deny it and tell her he was human and perfectly normal. However, something deep inside of her knew that wouldn’t be happening.

Silence stretched out between them as she waited for him to confirm or deny his humanity. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he rose from the chair. Kerry’s heart raced, and she couldn’t escape the sound of her blood pumping through her veins as it thundered relentlessly in her ears. He loomed largely before her, and she didn’t know whether to run, cry, or jump him. Abruptly his eyes shifted into the eyes of the fox and remained locked on hers. Kerry sucked in her breath, and her body stilled. Those two burning embers seemed to bore right through her and sparked every fiber of her being to life.

“No,” he whispered. “I am not human.”

Before Kerry could open her mouth to protest, he closed his eyes, stretched his arms open wide, and whispered, “
Verto
.”

The air in the room thickened, and he shimmered as if she were looking at him underwater. Seconds later Dante had vanished, and the enormous red fox from her dreams and her visions stood before her larger than life. It looked at her with those same glowing amber eyes, and a large bushy tail swished hypnotically behind it.

I
am
Amoveo—a member of the Fox Clan—as you can see.
Kerry held her breath as Dante’s voice wafted into her mind like a sudden caress. She stared at him with wide eyes, and her mouth moved, but no sound came out. She noted that the rich auburn color of the animal’s coat was an exact match to Dante’s thick hair. He seemed much larger than a regular fox would be and had a muscular body that radiated raw power. His face was mostly red and brown, but he had a bright white mask around his eyes. His large ears were trimmed in a dark brown, as were the white socks of his feet and the tip of that bushy tail. He was… magnificent.

She could barely process what she saw or form any coherent thought before he shimmered and shifted back to his human form. He stood once again as the tall and devastatingly handsome man he’d always been. With impressive speed he leaned in and placed one hand on either side of her on the bed, trapping her there between his massive, muscular arms. They stayed in that position for what seemed like eons, face-to-face, his mouth suspended just a breath away from hers. Very gently Dante brushed his firm, warm lips along hers and placed a featherlight kiss on the corner of her mouth. Hot, honeyed bliss blanketed her skin from head to toe, and every inch of her tingled.

“I am Amoveo,” he whispered. “And so, my beautiful princess, are you.” Then without another word he stood up and walked out of her room, closing the door silently behind him.

Kerry let out a shuddering breath and tried to settle her quaking limbs, while she stared after him at the closed door. Her mind swam with a million questions, and her eyes swam with tears. She clutched the top of her robe closed and squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to find some kind of stability. Her body, mind, life, and emotions were raging completely out of control. She stood on unsteady legs and made her way over to the bar. Right now, a drink sounded like a very good idea. With trembling hands Kerry threw ice cubes in a glass and doused them in the caramel-colored liquid.

“Telepathy, weird dreams,” she said through shaky breaths. Muttering to no one in particular, she walked over to the windows and looked out over the New Orleans night. “He’s some kind of shapeshifter, and apparently, so am I.” Her voice sounded hysterical again. When did she turn into such a girl? “I’m even talking to myself. Fabulous—as if I don’t have enough issues already.”

Shapeshifter—or what did he call it? Amoveo?

Samantha. She needed her friend now more than ever. She wished like hell that she was here. Dante was right about Sam being different. Deep down, Kerry had always known that Sam wasn’t like everyone else. Her thoughts wandered to Malcolm. She never touched him, but his energy had always seemed unusual. Was he one of these Amoveo animal people too?

“Lord, have mercy. I’m losing it.” Kerry sighed audibly, threw the drink back, and squeezed her eyes shut, relishing the fiery liquid as it splashed down her throat. She hoped it might burn off the effect of Dante’s touch. Even with the turmoil raging inside of her, the memory of his touch alone made her wet.

She held the cool glass to the heated skin of her throat, and the air slipped from her lungs in a heavy rush. She knew that she would never escape him. No matter where she went, he would be right there, deep inside of her, and under her skin. It’s as if he had marked her somehow, and that terrified her even more than the fact that’d he’d just turned into a fox.

She laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of her situation and let out a sigh of frustration. Kerry reached up to pull the drapes closed and froze when she caught sight of herself in the window. The glass slipped from limp fingers and bounced on the thick carpet. Slowly, as if in a dream, she reached out to touch her reflection. Her eyes gleamed bright yellow, just like Jester’s. She found herself staring into the eyes of a cat.

The next morning Dante waited rather impatiently for Kerry to emerge from her bedroom. He hadn’t slept well, and unfortunately, she’d shut him out of the dream realm again. A sleepless and dreamless night left him grouchy and short tempered. She had closed her mind to him as well. Hell, he half expected her to barricade the door and never come out. After all he’d revealed to her the night before, he wouldn’t blame her. Nerves and self-doubt began to get the better of him. What if she refused to believe what he told her? What if she refused him? So much was still so uncertain.

His internal pity party was interrupted by Kerry as she finally came out of her bedroom. Clad in a simple sundress and sandals, her hair gathered up in a clip, and a face void of makeup, she still took his breath away. She avoided his gaze and made her way over to the telephone on the side table. She threw a large bag on the couch before picking up the phone.

“I suggest you get in the shower, and get yourself together. We have to be at the location in just over an hour. Hurry up. I don’t want to be late,” she barked.

His stomach tightened in hard knots, and he felt his patience slipping away bit by bit. She wanted him to hurry up? Well, no problem. With a wave of his hand, using his visualization abilities, he divested himself of all his clothing. He stood casually with only a white towel now tied around his waist.

“Well, we wouldn’t want you to be late, princess.”

Kerry whipped around to face him, to no doubt give him a piece of her mind. Instead, her mouth fell open, and she was rendered speechless. The shocked look was instantly matched by rippling energy waves flowing from her body. He stayed completely still, his attention focused on her stunned face as her eyes darted up and locked with his.

“What—what happened to your clothes? How did you…?” she stammered.

He closed the distance between them, knowing he was crowding her space. He wanted her to feel how much he needed her, how his body and soul cried out for hers.

“Visualization is just one of our gifts. Perhaps tonight, after your shoot, you’ll let me show you more.” Her body radiated heat, and her pulse beat wildly in her throat, which sparked an overwhelming desire to lick and nibble at that fluttering spot.

“I think I’ve seen enough for now,” she breathed. “You should get in the shower. Please. I don’t want to be late.” She cleared her throat and turned away from him.

“Whatever you say, princess,” he smiled and did as she requested.

Dante showered as quickly as possible and emerged in fresh clothing. He opted for jeans and a T-shirt since they would be out in the bayou. The idea of sweating it out in a suit again definitely did not appeal to him. When he walked into the living room, Kerry looked him up and down. She shook her head and gave him a quizzical look.

“So where did you get those clothes? You didn’t have a bag anywhere.” She put up her hand to stop him before he could respond. “And don’t tell me you conjured them out of thin air.”

Dante smiled and walked over to the door. “As you wish… princess.”

Kerry folded her arms and didn’t move from her spot next to the couch. “So you’re not going to tell me? Fine,” she huffed. Kerry scooped up her bag and moved past him, attempting to open the door. She grabbed the handle, but Dante leaned casually against the door, preventing her from opening it. “Get out of my way.” She kept her voice low and avoided his gaze.

Dante folded his arms and continued to lean back against the door. “You asked me not to tell you that I conjured them up. I was merely granting your request.” His voice remained irritatingly calm. “The truth is I used the visualization skills of our people. Amoveo have many unique talents. My friend Steven uses it for healing.” He reached out and tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear. “As a member of our race, you have many unique talents, and I look forward to exploring them with you.”

Her energy waves increased and pulsed through him in the most tantalizing manner. She looked up at him, her face etched in gritty defiance, and his heart almost stopped. Her eyes had shifted. She stared back at him with bright yellow cat’s eyes. He’d been right on the money. She was a member of one of the Cat Clans.

“Your eyes,” he whispered softly, as his lips curved into a knowing smile. “These are the eyes of your clan.”