Charmed by the Werewolf (14 page)

Heat spread through Sophia’s body at the searing glance Xavier sent her. “We need to gather a few things in order for Xavier to have a chance at lifting his curse. One of those items is a scale from a mermaid’s tail. How about plucking off one of yours and we’ll be on our way.
”

“And you think I
’ll just forgive and forget what you did to me to grant your request?” She eyed the harpoon gun again. “What do I get out of it?”

“Nothing. If you won’t help us, why can’t we just take a scale from our own tails?
”

“Stupid girl. Neither you nor Xavier are full-blooded mermaids.
” Her glare could curl paint. “I’ll ask you again. What’s in it for me?”

“I believe I can help you on that score.
” Xavier floated away from the floral-covered sofa and wedged himself between the women. “If Sophia puts in a good word with the Portal Master on your behalf, would you be persuaded to give us the scale?”

“You must have me mistaken with someone else,
” Sophia hissed at the werewolf, all earlier passion gone. “In case you haven’t been listening to me for the past two days, I do
not
have any pull with Sterling.” She maneuvered past Xavier but kept a wary eye on Renn. Impalement wasn’t on her agenda today.

“The power of suggestion and persuasion is inside you at all times.
” Xavier’s lips curved slightly with a grin. “Or channel your inner diva like you do with me.”

“Men are weak creatures.
” Renn scoffed and waved a hand in dismissal. “I’ve had ample opportunity to lure brainless golfers down to the depths of my lake, but I find hiding dead bodies becomes a chore after the first four or five.”

“A serial killer.
” Sophia blinked at the mermaid. She wasn’t surprised since in the old stories mermaids did lure sailors to their deaths for fun. “Renn, I understand your plight, I do, but you’ve met Sterling. He’s a hard, desperate, grasping man who’ll stop at nothing to further his own agenda. A peon such as me couldn’t influence him.”

“That’s too bad.
” Renn moved to a shelf and lifted the lid from a shell-studded box. “I’d hate to see Xavier spend the rest of his life battling such a wretched affliction.” Reaching into the box, she drew forth a small object, closed her fingers around it, hiding it from view.

Sophia glanced at the werewolf and frowned at the question in his eye. “I don’t want him to remain a shape shifter. I want to—
”

“And why should you? Xavier is nothing to you but an inconvenience, a task that needs to be completed as quickly as possible.
” Renn swam behind Xavier and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “To someone like me Xavier represents companionship, excitement, a change.” She pressed the hidden object into his hand. Her fingers lingered on his.

“I warned you, Renn. Hands off.
” Sophia moved to take the item from him, but the mermaid blocked her. “What did you give him? I have a right to know.”

“You have no rights here, under the water. This is my domain.
” She grinned and this time it was not in amusement or happiness. Her face twisted subtly into a mask of superiority and madness. “The potion you both drank earlier only lasts for thirty minutes. Once it wears off you’ll return to your original forms.”

“Then we
’ll swim to the surface.” Tendrils of panic curled around Sophia’s spine to chill her skin. Renn had a loose screw. For one moment, she regretted Sterling hadn’t sent her to a different Realm. “Right?” She attempted to keep the hysteria out of her voice. A glance at Xavier revealed he stared intently at the object that rested in his palm.

“Ah, you could swim to the surface, but I can hold you here until your lungs fill with water and you drown. Such a tragedy, wouldn’t you say? Just another dead, bloated body.
” She ran a hand along Xavier’s jaw and smiled. “I could save
you
though.”

“I
won’t leave Sophia.” He detached the mermaid and moved to take up residence at Sophia’s side. “Breaking the curse is not as valuable to me as her life.”

“Be serious, Xavier! What does she have that I don’t?
”

“It
isn’t a question of what she has. It’s what she is—mine.” Xavier smiled and forced a small object into Sophia’s hand. “Regardless of what Sophia does for a living, she’s mine, and I love her despite it.”

What
? Sophia’s jaw dropped as she stared at the golden-curled merman.

“I can help you break the curse. Sophia won’t be much use to you dead.
” Her voice was soft and smooth, spreading through the water like dye.

“If Sophia
isn’t with me, then I’ll be a wolf.” He shrugged. The gesture rustled the necklace of shells. “I’ve grown accustomed to the sickness.”

Warmth flooded
her body. Xavier’s intense gaze burned right through to her soul. He’d die for her without a second thought. In that moment, Sophia’s mindset slowly began to change toward the werewolf. Was it love? No, but it was a beginning. She smiled, the silly, moony grin of a high school girl with her first crush.

He and Renn still argued. Their voices faded into the background when she examined the object on her palm. A mermaid scale glowed with a life of its own, blood red and glittering. Transfixed, she stared, moving it this way and that to try to catch the refracted sunlight.

Her fascination lasted perhaps ten seconds before stabbing pain shot through her body. “What’s happening?” Sophia clutched her neck with one hand while keeping the other locked tightly around the scale.

“Shifting.
” Renn clamped a strong hand on Sophia’s arm. “I’d imagine you’ll have approximately five minutes before total human organs are regained and functioning. If you remain here, you’ll die.” Her smile revealed sharp pointy teeth and a forked tongue like that of a serpent.

“Let her go.
” Xavier attempted to break her grip on Sophia’s arm but Renn dragged her out of reach. Agony crossed his face. “You have no cause to hold her.” He clutched his neck as his gills undoubtedly started the same shutdown process.

“It would be fitting justice for what she’s done.
”

“Please.
” Sophia’s gills ceased to function. They no longer fluttered or filtered oxygen from the water. Her lungs burned. She couldn’t breathe, and gasping for breath only brought foul tasting water into her mouth. “I’ll plead your case in Sterling’s court.” She thrust the scale into her purse then clawed at Renn’s hand. “Please.” Water tickled her nose. She gasped when her temporary mermaid tail split in two and the pieces fashioned themselves into human legs. Searing pain wracked her body. She sank to her newly formed knees, shaking.

“She
’ll betray you,” Renn remarked softly to the werewolf, but she loosened her grip on Sophia’s arm. “She’s a Gatekeeper. She can do no less.”

Xavier bowed his head then lifted it. His amber eyes reflected sadness and sorrow. “If it will be as you say I’ll face it head on, without shame or regret, and I
’ll do it by Sophia’s side. I can do no less for her.” He growled low in his throat as his own metamorphosis from fish to human began.

“I wish you well.
” Renn released her grip. She held the door open, silent as Xavier helped Sophia to her feet. “If you change your mind and choose to ditch her, please seek me out.”

“I’m sorry Renn.
” Sophia’s lungs heaved, burned with the need for oxygen, her legs painful and bloody.

The mermaid inclined her head but didn’t speak. Her brilliant green eyes were hollow and washed of all emotion.

Inky clouds of blackness swirled through Sophia’s vision as she stumbled down the steps of the bus, landing in the soft sand bottom of the lake. Her gills disappeared, her lungs threatened to explode. Xavier wrapped an arm around her waist and propelled her toward the surface.

When the afternoon sunshine warmed her face, Sophia knew she was saved. Gasping life-giving oxygen into her lungs, she bobbed with the gentle current and listened as he sucked in air. Weak and shaking, she swam toward the small island in the center of the lake.

“Don’t exert yourself
,” Xavier warned.

She chose not to answer, but concentrated all of her energy reserves into reaching the shoreline. Stroke after stroke brought the island closer. After what seemed an eternity, her fingers found purchase on small loose pebbles and wet sand. With an exhausted cry, she let her lower half dangle in the water while resting her upper half on solid ground. “I hope you appreciate what I did for you because I will
not
become a mermaid again.” She pressed her cheek against the coolness of the pebbles and closed her eyes. “Damn werewolf. It’s just my luck the man I get to spend the rest of my life with has so many issues.”

“True, yet my appreciation of you still lingers.
”

“What do you mean?
” Her eyes flew open to focus on her companion.

Xavier had climbed out of the water and prowled with furtive, steps about the perimeter of the island. With the exception of the shell necklace, the werewolf was naked, gloriously, wonderfully naked. Sophia’s mouth dropped open.

She gaped. His back was to her. The first thought that swirled into her brain was how did his derriere become the lightly tanned color as the rest of him? Just how often
did
the man strut about unclothed and in the daytime no less? Warmth spread into her nether regions as the urge to see the rest of him exerted itself. “Xavier, you’re naked!” A second thought pushed out the first. If he’d lost his clothing because of shape-shifting then that meant…

“I might say the same of you.
”

The October sun glanced off his still wet curls. Sophia swallowed as he turned slowly around. Forgetting she lounged in chilly water, she licked her dry lips and allowed her gaze to devour the expanse of his chest. “Oh my God.
”

Water droplets clung to the dark blond hair and glistened over the shadow of his abdominal muscles. The ribbon of hair seemed to be a beacon, and she eagerly followed the narrowing path past his belly button to the damp nest of pubic hair. She sighed when she caught a quick glimpse of his manhood. Even in its resting state, he was a feast for the eyes. Sophia’s fingers itched to touch
it to see if it would be as velvety as it appeared. Her nipples pebbled as her body responded to such exciting stimulation.

“Are you quite finished?
” Humor ran through his voice as the question quivered in the air. “While I’d be happy to model for you all afternoon, I feel I must remind you it’s October and therefore quite cold. My… attributes aren’t as impressive as they would be if I were warm and dry. Plus, you’re still in the water.”

“
You caught me off guard.” Her cheeks burned. She sank into the lake until only her head and shoulders were visible. “I never expected…that is I couldn’t have imagined…I’ve never seen someone more…” She would die, right here in the water, of embarrassment. God, he was gorgeous and she wanted to spend the next hour or so looking her fill.

“Don’t apologize.
” Xavier chuckled then plucked a couple of thick white towels from a wooden box near the shore. “There’s no shame in admiring me. I’m your mate, after all. It’s your right.” He deftly tucked a towel around his mid-section. “I’d love to admire your human form. It’s only fair, since you’ve seen me.” The look he threw her was decidedly wolf-like.

“That
isn’t going to happen.” No matter that he was covered, small flames of desire ignited deep within her. She wanted him. Even if she hadn’t just seen him naked, his steadfast commitment to her burrowed into her heart, made itself comfortable and tacked up a “home sweet home” sign. “I hardly know you.” It was a half-assed protest and they both knew it. She tamped the flames until they resembled smoldering ruins. Was the last said for his benefit or hers?

“From what I’ve glimpsed of your body, you have nothing to be embarrassed about.
” He dangled the second towel in front of her and his eyes shimmered with laughter. “Come, let me assist you.” A wolfish grin parted his lips. “Clothed, not clothed, my desire for you remains the same.”

“Why do I suddenly feel as if I’m Little Red Riding Hood and you’re the Big Bad Wolf?
” She grinned up at him and as much as she might enjoy being eaten, a tiny smidge of guilt shot through her stomach. His amber eyes lightened into a brilliant citrine. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to joke about your being a wolf.”

“No harm done.
” He wiggled the towel again. “If I promise to close my eyes will you come out of the water?”

Sophia searched his face and found nothing except honesty and humor residing there. “All right. If I catch you peeking I
won’t speak to you again.” She sounded like a second grader. “Well, I probably will, but I’ll be mad.”

“Fair enough.
” Xavier stroked his goatee with a slender finger. He made an exaggerated show of closing his eyes. “Whenever you’re ready.”

After h
esitating three seconds, she scrambled out of the water and onto the pebbles. When her fingers closed over the soft terry cloth-like fabric, she heaved a sigh. “You may open your eyes now. It’s safe.” She wrapped the towel loosely around her body, keeping her purse slung across her chest.

“Safe is a relative term.
” Xavier ran a finger over her exposed collarbone. “This seems to be a rest stop midway through the course. I’ll have to call for a boat to ferry us across to the mainland, but we can take advantage of the privacy we have now…”

“Tempting.
” She shivered and clutched the towel tighter. He was charming and dangerous, and in light of recent events, he was hers. While that thought caused liquid heat to course through her body, in the back of her mind, she couldn’t forget he was a werewolf. She still had no concrete proof but somehow believed his story. She needed to tread carefully. “What did you have in mind? I could do with a distraction as we wait on the ferry.” In fact, it sounded like a very good idea.

“Let’s start with a few kisses and see where the afternoon takes us.
” He led her toward the wooden dock.

“Not here.
” Sophia’s laugh was throaty and soft when he tugged her into his arms and nuzzled her neck. Her towel slipped down a bit to expose half of a breast.

“Where then? Here?
” He dropped a feather light kiss on the creamy skin of her shoulder.

“Hell no.
” She struggled in his embrace.

“No problem. I can kiss you here instead.
” He nibbled the hollow of her throat, swirled the tip of his tongue where his lips had just played. “Better?”

“Yes, I mean, no. We’ve got bigger problems.
” Her laughter died and turned to icy cold fear as she spied a familiar form walking up the dock. “Xavier, hide!” Sophia pushed him away. Her heart pounded against her ribcage in an attempt to flee. Her chest tightened with panic. It was too much too soon after the stress of the afternoon.

She couldn’t calm down fast enough. Sophia implored Xavier to run, as her limbs grew heavy and stiff until she became her true self. Slowly and with the sound of bricks being stacked in a row,
she transformed into a stone statue as Sterling came upon the scene.