Finding Abigail (11 page)

She turned in his arms and he gasped.

“What?”

“Let me check your back, okay, baby?”

Fear slid through her. “Why?”

“I just need to check something,” he said, his voice calm.

She turned in his arms and let him pull up her shirt slightly. She blushed at the thought of what he would be seeing even as nervousness ate at her.

“Well, that’s new,” he whispered.

“What? Oh, my God. What’s wrong with me?”

“You have baby wings back here,” he said as he shifted. 

She felt his finger trace along something that felt like a curve on her back and she blushed with pleasure. 

“I have wings?” she squeaked.

“They’re tiny little harpy wings. I don’t think you’ll be able to fly with them, but they’re there.”

“I don’t want wings, Tyler. I want to be normal.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips along her back and wings, forcing her belly to quiver.

“Tyler…”

“Did you like that?” he asked.

“What are you doing to me?”

“Just touching you. But it’s good to know that these are so sensitive. Now, try to imagine your wings are gone and maybe they’ll go back into your back so you can hide them.”

She did as she was told, even though thoughts of his touch and the fact that she was completely and utterly changing in more ways than one plagued her mind. Abby’s body shuddered again and she felt something sharp slide into her back though it didn’t hurt.

“There, you did it, baby.” He shifted again and slid her shirt back down.

She still couldn’t believe this was happening, but in case it was still a dream, she didn’t want to move too much and accidently wake up. Tyler Cooper was holding her close and now she looked like a harpy, even though she could hide the affects somewhat.

She could ignore the latter for now—she had to if she wanted to stay sane.

Tyler shuffled something on the table by them and picked up some candy hearts. He blushed and handed her one. “Sorry, I’m addicted to the things.”

“Must come from being a cupid, right? Oh, and I love them, too.” She popped one in her mouth and gagged. A rotten taste settled on her tongue and she spit the candy out. “Oh, God, sorry about that. It just tasted…like trash or something.”

Tyler moved to look at her, worry in his gaze. He popped one in his mouth and shook his head. “It tastes fine to me, but I think I know what the issue is.”

Abby frowned. “Is it some harpy thing? Oh, God, what’s wrong with me?” An irrational anger spread through her, scaring her. She wasn’t an angry person. Well she hadn’t been before… She took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to scream or hit something. Again, not like her at all.

Oh, God, she was changing

“I think it has to do with being a harpy, yes. From what I’ve read in the past, harpies can only eat food they’ve stolen, so you won’t be able to eat anything I give you or you make yourself.”

“No, that can’t be right. How can I live like that?” 

“We’ll find a way. I mean, if I leave something out and tell you it’s mine and mine alone, I think you can eat it; or if you eat from my plate. It’ll come to us.”

“I don’t think I can do this.”

“You’re stronger than you think you are, Abigail.”

“I’m going to be, aren’t I?” Abby frowned and looked at the man she loved, even if she didn’t know if she could in the future. “How do you know so much about harpies anyway?”

Tyler blushed. Yes, the hunky, strong, alpha sheriff blushed and ducked his head. “I read a lot about the supernatural and other things. It’s like a hobby…or a fascination. Even though I don’t really know much about being a cupid and Aeneas. I guess I just ignored that part. You know, ignoring my future and all that.”

Abby smiled and touched his chin. “I like that you like the things no one believes.”

“We live in Holiday; I can’t
not
believe it. Plus, even as a boy, I wanted to read about the histories of werewolves and dragons.”

“You think those exist?”

Tyler shook his head. “I have no idea, but I think it would be cool. What I do know is that we’re going to figure out how to be a cupid and a harpy together. Okay?”

“This is all so weird. I mean, you were ignoring me like yesterday, and now look at us.”

Tyler frowned. “I know. I don’t like magic right now. It’s made us lose so much time.”

“I can’t believe everything that’s happened. I was just at home packing…” Her words trailed off, and her eyes widened. “I’m moving.”

Tyler’s eyes grew stormy. “No, you’re not.”

“Excuse me? You can’t tell me what to do.”

“No, I can’t, but how could you move now?”

“I wasn’t moving because of you, Tyler.” Okay, that was a lie. She had been moving because of him, at least partially, but now everything had changed, not only because someone might want her but because she had changed.

She wasn’t human anymore.

How could she live anywhere else when everything was in such a state of flux?

“I know you weren’t. You said it was because you had nothing here. But you do, Abigail. Don’t you see that? Even if we leave me out of the equation, which I don’t want you to do, you have a family here. We Coopers don’t want to let you go.”

“Why couldn’t you have said that before I put my house up for sale?”

“Because I couldn’t. I didn’t know.”

“I can’t move, can I?”

“I don’t want you to. And I don’t know what’s going on with the effects of the arrow, baby. I think you should stay.”

She let out a breath, fear and anxiety filling her. “I haven’t sold my place yet, and I don’t have a lease in Denver. I don’t
have
to move. Plus, Justin hasn’t replaced me at work yet…”

“That’s what Brayden said about your place.”

“You’re talking about me with your brothers?”

Tyler kissed her brow, and tingles shot up her spine. “Yep. Brayden already knows what’s going on. And since we Coopers gossip like old hens, I’m pretty sure the rest of my brothers and Jordan knows.”

“Do they know what happened to me?” she asked as her tension escalated. What would they think of her? What if what Aeneas said was true and she lost what made her nice and kind? 

“Not yet, but we’ll tell them together. You’re not alone anymore, Abigail.”

Oh, how she wanted to believe in that, but she couldn’t. Not yet, anyway.

Tyler brushed her lips with his own, bringing a sense of peace to her. “I’ll prove it to you, baby.”

But, what if he couldn’t?

Chapter 9

“Just keep your eye on the ball,” Tyler said as he wrapped his arms around Abigail, liking the way her bottom pressed against his groin. Her wings were tucked into her back so he could pull her closer and not worry about crushing the fragile, surprisingly sensitive things.

“I bet you say that to all the girls.” She laughed and wiggled in his hold.

His cock sprang to attention, the zipper on his jeans sure to leave a mark. Holy hell, this woman made him hot.

He couldn’t wait to strip her down, bend her over something, and sink into her heat.

Soon.

Tyler nipped at her ear, and she jumped, almost hitting him on the head with the bat.

“Okay, maybe I should show you how to hit before you give me a concussion,” he teased then kissed her cheek. He lingered, inhaling her scent of roses.

Damn, he wanted her for more than just a night.

For some reason, that didn’t scare him at all.

It had been a week since everything had happened. Though Abigail had gone back to her place after a sweaty encounter on his couch, they were still practically joined at the hip. He didn’t want to miss any more time. 

She seemed to take it in stride, but he could feel her cautiousness. He knew she didn’t quite believe his sudden change, but that was okay. It was a dramatic one, and he needed to prove to her that he loved her.

That he always had.

That is was just magic that had messed everything up.

Yes, it seemed almost impossible, but he’d fix it. He loved this woman and tried to show her in everything he did. They ate almost every meal together, either at his place, her home, or at the diner.

Though the times they ate at the diner, he could sense her fear. Considering she had to eat off his plate in secret, it made it a little odd. Her claws only came out when she felt frightened or angry and her wings only came out when they needed to breathe after a long day tucked in her back—much like his own wings. 

For some reason, the town seemed enamored by the playboy and the “nothing romance.”

Yes, that’s what the town newspaper called it.

He’d paid a visit to the editor the next morning and had some words. Luckily, Brayden had been there to hold him back so he hadn’t used his fists instead, though it was close.

The town didn’t quite know what to do with the fact that Tyler and Abigail were dating and seemed to be farther in their relationship than would normally occur in just a week. Some thought it was a pity thing on Tyler’s part because she was moving, even though Abigail had told everyone she was staying.

That had led to people whispering that she’d stayed for him and was desperate enough to stay for a man.

Neither of them had set the record straight and told the gossipers that she’d stayed because she was now a harpy, not only because of him.

He’d like to think she’d stayed for him just a little. He’d told her he’d move to Denver if she wanted, and she’d freaked. She’d told him that she’d been crazy and her claws and wings had popped out. Apparently, he’d moved a little too fast for her and she hadn’t been able to control her emotions. Thankfully, they’d been at her place and not in public. From now on he’d have to make sure he didn’t upset her in public.

Okay, so it had been a little too soon to mention that since the Coopers always lived in Holiday, he was the freaking sheriff, and he also had cupid responsibilities. But, he’d have moved for her.

He’d backed off when she’d tried to run away from him and back off their relationship.

No sense in scaring her more than he already had. 

The other women in town were viscous in their attitudes toward Abigail, and although Tyler would never hit a woman, he’d been tempted a few times with some of those shrews. They’d gone as far as to say that Tyler only stayed because Abigail would spread her legs for him in a certain way that made her a novelty compared to his past.

Fucking bitches.

He and Abigail hadn’t even made it that far in their relationship. He knew she was a virgin and wanted to take it slow.

Though his cock ached and he’d had perpetual blue balls for the past week, he’d take it. Abigail was important to him. She must have always been, but Aeneas’s spell had hidden that fact from him.

Anger coursed through his veins thinking about the fucking anti-Cupid, or whatever the hell he was. That man had taken so much from them, and Tyler couldn’t find him. He, Justin, and Brayden had gone back to the cabin the next day and looked for the bastard, but he was long gone. 

He’d done his research on Aeneas, at least the man he knew as Aeneas and had come up with nothing. His search had only come up with a few men and a minor god, not anything that really could be what they were dealing with. Tyler kept those on the backburner just in case. He’d followed the trail as far as he could, but it turned cold. At this point, he was out of options unless he turned to the other cupids. He had no idea how to contact other cupids or Frank, but he was looking for a way to do so.

Maybe they’d be able to at least give him information on Aeneas.

Tyler had a feeling it was far from over since the lunatic wanted Tyler in pain, but at least they had a reprieve. Tyler didn’t want to leave Abigail alone for too long though, even though he knew he was just using that as an excuse to stay longer with her.

No matter. He wanted this woman in his life, in his heart, and in his bed.

He just hoped Abigail felt the same. Even though she’d said the words, he couldn’t be sure until he knew she knew he was serious and that the whole harpy change wouldn’t be an issue.

They were not at the batting cages for another date. He loved sports. If something could be hit, dunked, thrown, or tackled, he was in. Abigail, on the other hand, hated them and would rather swim or dance.

The fact that she’d do this for him? He loved it.

“You okay, Tyler?” Abigail asked as she lowered the bat and turned in his arms.

He looked down into her hazel eyes and fell just that much more in love. God, he sounded like a cheesy, lovesick poet, but whatever. This was his Abigail.

Tyler traced his finger along her cheek, loving the way she shuddered. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking about the past week.”

Anger, confusion, happiness, and sadness warred in her eyes. “It’s been an interesting week, for sure.”

“Interesting? That’s the best word you can use?” he growled as he lifted her by her hips to kiss her.

God, her taste… He could drown in it.

“Slut,” a woman whispered behind them, and Tyler slowly let Abigail down to the ground, even as he noticed the stiffness in her body.

Tyler turned toward the woman. Natalie, he thought her name was. Yes, he was sure of it. He’d turned her down a while back because he didn’t like to date in town anymore, too messy.

Well, he supposed it got messy no matter what happened. 

“Excuse me?” he asked, his voice low, controlled.

Natalie’s eyes widened a fraction then narrowed into slits. “Just saying what the town’s thinking. Of all women, Abigail? Scraping the bottom of the barrel, aren’t you?”

Damn it to hell. He knew the town thought that Abigail wasn’t good enough for him since he was a fucking Cooper, but they couldn’t be farther from the truth. He was the one not good enough for her. He was pretty sure the town was acting like this because they wanted him to be with one of the town’s darlings like Natalie.

Damn them for matchmaking and getting it beyond wrong.

He felt Abigail behind him, though she didn’t move, didn’t speak. Fuck, he hated when anything caused her pain. He felt her hand on his back, tension radiating from her body. He knew it was his fault that Natalie was spewing lies and crap, hurting his Abigail. He’d just have to be the one to fix it. Nothing hurt her and walked away.