Chameleon (Supernaturals) (9 page)

“I do believe my dad just
gave you permission to move in with me, and then offered to cover for you with your parents,” Russ said once his father was gone.

“Don’t get your hopes up.”

Russ slipped his hand into mine and laced our fingers together. The action was so surprising that I jumped. Until this week, in all the years I’d known him, Russ had only ever acted toward me in a platonic best-friends way. Our relationship even bordered on brotherly/sisterly at times. The way he was holding my hand at the moment didn’t feel like either.

I tried to jerk away, but Russ’s grip was too tight. “It’s all right. I know you need this. I remember what it was like.”

“You went through this too?” I don’t know why that thought hadn’t occurred to me before.

“Of course. Every supernatural goes through it. Remember when I was twelve? How I got totally weird around you and then my dad took me to New Jersey for the summer? I was coming into my powers, and the cravings were too much so he took me to stay with some old friends of his until I could handle it being just me and him.”

“Clara?”

Russ nodded.

I tried not to let my jealousy show. Russ was twelve at the time, and supervised, and he seemed to hate her. But I still didn’t like the idea that he’d spent the whole summer living with some supernatural girl when he was going through these cravings. I mean they were making me crazy with desire and I don’t have the hormones of a guy.

I wanted to ask if anything ever happened between them, but at the same time I didn’t think I wanted to know Russ’s dating history. Believe it or not, that subject had never come up between us. I’d always assumed he’d dated lots of girls and had experience in the kissing department because he’s so confident and gorgeous, but I’d never actually seen him date anyone. He’s always just had me the way I’ve always only had him.

I asked a different question just to keep myself distracted. “You got your magic at twelve?”

“Unless you’re turned, like a vampire or a werewolf, it tends to manifest around puberty.” Russ laughed. “Sixteen. Always the late bloomer, Dani.”

“Shut up!” I ripped my hand from his in order to smack him. “If we have to be stuck together twenty-four seven for the next three to six months, do you think you could at least try not to be such a jerk?”

“You love it when I’m a jerk. It’s endearing.”

“It’s annoying.”

Russ grinned. “Fine. No more being a jerk. How about I show you a really cool trick instead.”

“Didn’t your dad tell us not to play with magic?”

“He told us to stay out of trouble. This one won’t cause any trouble.”

Russ dragged me over to the water’s edge and kicked off his shoes.

“That water is freezing,” I said as I watched him roll up his pants.

“I’m well aware how cold it is. You threw me in it, remember? Stop whining and get in here.”

I took off my shoes and rolled my pants up to my knees. The cold water pricked my feet.

“Okay,” Russ said. “Now close your eyes and prepare to be amazed.”

When I closed my eyes Russ muttered something under his breath and suddenly the water surrounding my feet was no longer uncomfortable. “It feels like bath water!” I gasped. “That’s incredible!”

“Cool huh? You see? Being supernatural’s not such a bad thing. I know the idea is a little strange to accept, but magic definitely has its perks.”

Russ was right. This was amazing. “Thank you.” I threw my arms around him. I’d been so freaked out since the dance that this small bit of hope almost moved me to tears. “Really, Russ. Thank you for this.”

“C’mon,” Russ said. “Let’s go swimming.”

“What, right now?”

Russ ripped his shirt over his head. “The water will stay warm,” he promised.

“What are we supposed to do, swim in our underwear?”

Apparently that was exactly what we were supposed to do, because Russ stripped down to his boxers and dove into the water. When he surfaced I said, “I am not stripping down to my undies with you.”

“It’s not like you haven’t before. Remember when we were four and my dad got us that Slip n’ Slide? You had no problem stripping down then.”

“I didn’t have boobs then.”

“You still don’t.”

My jaw dropped.

“Dani, things have been so stressful this week. I know you. You’ll feel better if you do something crazy.” Russ turned his back to me. “Come on. No one’s looking.”

I couldn’t believe I was letting him talk me in to it, but I hurriedly took my shirt and pants off and dove in the water. It felt amazing.

“I’m impressed! I didn’t think you’d go for it.” Russ said when I poked my head above the surface. I made sure the water line never dropped below my shoulders.

“You were right,” I said. “I really need to de-stress.”

Russ swam over until he was standing a foot in front of me. He dropped his playful attitude and looked way too serious all of the sudden. “It’s going to be okay. I’m going to be here with you every step of the way. I’ll do whatever you need me to. Even if that’s forcing you to strip down to your skivvies and jump in a lake.” He winked and cracked a smile, but sobered up almost immediately. “I mean it,” he said. “Whatever you need.”

Ha! If he only knew what I felt like I needed right then.

Or… maybe he did.

Somehow Russ was only centimeters from me now, though I hadn’t noticed him move closer. I could feel the heat coming off his body. I felt that magical pull stirring inside me, driving me mad with the desire to touch him, to run my fingers over his bare chest.

As if he could read my mind, Russ slid his hand around my waist and pulled me tightly against him. When I gasped he snaked his other arm around me and locked me in his grip knowing I’d try to escape. My attempt to put some distance between us was a pathetic one, and it only encouraged him.

“I don’t get it Russ,” I breathed, fighting off a shiver.

“What’s not to get?” Russ moved his hands up my back, pinning our bodies together. “I can’t really make it any more obvious.”

I panicked. “This isn’t us. We’re best friends. You’ve never once….” My voice trailed off when I felt my cheeks turning red. “I didn’t think you wanted this. Like I was born into the wrong family, remember?”

Russ’s grip tightened the tiniest bit. “I hate when you and Dad joke about that. You are
not
my sister.”

“Then why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“I’m not human, Dani. There was so much of me I had to keep hidden from you. My dad always says it wasn’t the magic that my mom couldn’t handle. He said she was strong enough. He said she would have been the one in a thousand if he hadn’t lied to her for so long. But he never gave her a choice to be a part of our world. By the time she knew it existed she was already tied to it. She was already married to my dad. She already had a son who wasn’t human. I couldn’t do that to you. I wasn’t going to get into a relationship if I couldn’t be myself with you.”

The moment felt completely surreal because even though I’d never really thought about there being an “us” before, it still felt like I’d waited my whole life to hear him say all these things. I felt a warmth inside me that was different from the energy I’d been feeling lately, and I relaxed.

“What made you finally decide to tell me?”

“I always thought it was better to have you as a friend than tell you the truth and risk losing you, but I can’t be just your friend anymore. It’s killing me.” Russ dropped his voice to a whisper and it shook slightly. “Dani you have to know that I’m as drawn to you as you are to me. I may have settled down since coming into my power, but I still crave you.”

“This….” Russ put his fingertips on my cheek and dragged them down my neck, then brushed them back and forth along the length of my collarbone. It was too much to handle. My breath caught in my lungs and I started to tremble.

“The chance to touch you like this,” Russ said, “in a way that could never be mistaken for friendship, it’s all I ever think about anymore.”

A loud, slow clap startled both Russ and me from the trance we’d fallen into.

Standing twenty feet away on the edge of the lake was a tall man with sun-kissed skin and shaggy brown hair that fell in his eyes and curled out behind his ears. He looked about twenty-five and had arms that bulged out from the sleeves of his t-shirt. I had no doubt he could bench-press like five of me.

He was good-looking, but he was a stranger. Which, in our quiet little town that was so far off the beaten path people only came here when they had a really good reason to, was highly unusual.

“Now that was a line,” he said with amusement. “Seriously, I’m going to have to use that sometime.”

“Yeah, and until you showed up the line was working,” Russ called out in a voice full of false friendliness. “So, uh, show a little decency and find somewhere else to be.”

The stranger laughed. “I like you. You remind me of myself. If I were you I’d give the girl a kiss while you have the chance.”

I saw Russ’s muscles tighten and I put my hand on his arm. “Be careful,” I whispered. “There’s something about him. I can feel him like I feel you and your dad.”

Russ glanced at me. “He’s a supernatural? Are you sure?”

“As sure as I can be.”

I looked back at the stranger. It didn’t look like he was in a hurry to follow Russ’s advice to get lost. He walked over to the pile of clothes Russ and I had left behind and picked up my shirt. “This is a nice color for you, Danielle. I like it when girls aren’t afraid to wear a little color. Why don’t you come out of there and let me see how it looks on. I assume you’ll want to be dressed for our journey.”

Russ pushed me behind him. “And just what journey are you talking about?” he asked while I had another question.

“How do you know my name?”

“You’d better get used to that,
Dani
. Pretty soon every supernatural in the world will know your name. News travels fast, and the rumors about you…well, let’s just say you’re a bit of a celebrity. That’s why I’m here. I’ve come to fetch you for my boss. He’s very interested in meeting the one who’s supposed to fulfill the prophecy.”

To my surprise Russ let out a gasp and then looked at me with wide eyes.

“That’s right,” the stranger said to Russ. “The Seer has predicted it. No doubt the council is already on their way to steal and corrupt her for their own purpose. My job was to get here before they did.”

Prophecy? Seer? Council? This entire conversation was over my head.

“What’s he talking about?” I asked.

Russ ignored me. His attention was fixed on the stranger. “Looks like he’s on steroids and likes to play fetch for his master? Must be a werewolf.” When the stranger grinned proudly Russ matched his smirk. “That explains the smell.”

“Just as your magic explains your misguided sense of superiority, young master warlock.”

“You’re not taking her anywhere.”

“Danielle.” The werewolf addressed me suddenly. “Your boy toy here is overconfident. I’m a full-grown werewolf—second in command of my pack, and a trained warrior. A few beginner knockback spells from a young warlock-in-training won’t be any match for me. Come with me now and there doesn’t have to be a fight, but if he tries anything I
will
kill him.”

I didn’t have to think about his request. His threat was obviously real so I headed for the shore before Russ could stop me.

“Smart girl,” the werewolf said, tossing me my shirt.

“Dani wait!”

Before I got my head through the neck of my shirt I felt a pair of strong arms come around me. “Move one inch and I’ll bite her. Boss said don’t kill her, but he didn’t say anything about making her one of us.”

Russ froze, and somewhere in my mind I realized that I was in danger, but I could hardly be bothered with that because I suddenly had other things to worry about. My body was on fire and my senses were going crazy. “Russ!” I screamed. “Russ, something’s wrong! Something’s happening to me!”

I could hear and smell everything. My sight sharpened, and I felt all the muscles in my body grow strong. A wave of reckless energy rippled through me and suddenly I couldn’t stand the feeling of being bound by my captor. I needed to be free. I needed to fight.

Logic told me I was scared—terrified even—but I couldn’t seem to act on that fear. I wanted to scream and run but my body tensed for a fight. There were strange new emotions in me and I had no idea where they were coming from or how to control them. Threat. This man was a threat. I had to fight him. I had to protect myself and my territory.

My territory?
I asked myself after I’d had the thought. What did that even mean? And
fight this guy
? He was huge and I wasn’t exactly Muhammad Ali. Still, instead of trying to run, a growl rose from my throat. It sounded animalistic.

The arms around me turned to steel. “That is not possible!” the werewolf growled, spinning me to face him. His nostrils flared and all the hair on his body stood on end, making me even more willing to fight.