Lexia (The Deadwood Hunter Series) (13 page)

Josh pulled her onto the dance floor and snaked through the bodies until they reached Alice. Alice grinned and grabbed her hand twirling her around. Lexia couldn’t help but laugh and dance with her friend, her enthusiasm was infectious.

Her body soon relaxed and slowly Lexia started to enjoy herself. She danced with Josh, twisting her hips to the beat, pressing her body against his. Josh had his hands on her hips and Lexia couldn’t help but think of Lincoln and how it felt when he’d held her hips and danced with her.

After a while Lexia started to feel a bit dizzy and she stumbled away from Josh in search of a glass of water.

“You feeling okay, Lexia?” Lexia turned, looking at Josh; everything was becoming blurry.

“Just a bit dizzy.”
But I’ve not drank that much.

“Do you want me to get Alice?” Lexia looked across the room at Alice; she didn’t want to spoil her fun.

“No, I’ll be okay in a minute.”

“Here, come with me.” Josh took her hand and pulled her forward, the world tilted and Lexia stumbled.

“Wow, you’ve drank a bit,” he laughed.
But I haven’t.

Josh leaned her in a corner and Lexia felt grateful for having something to lean on. He moved in front of her placing his hands back on her hips.

“I think I best go.” Lexia was finding it hard to concentrate, her brain felt foggy and all the sounds around her seemed to blur together. She just wanted to curl up and sleep.

“Stay with me,” he said, and Lexia numbly registered that his hands were feeling her body. She wanted him to stop but she was finding it hard to stand.

“Josh?”

“Shush, baby.” Lexia couldn’t take it, she wasn’t his baby. His hands were on the hem of her dress; she shivered when his fingers trailed across her bare legs, he made her skin crawl. Lexia wanted him off her, she wanted to go home.

“Josh, stop…” she slurred but he didn’t listen. His hands were now lifting her dress.

“Come on, Lexia, don’t be frigid.” His cruel words cleared her head for a second from the torrent of fury that flushed into her blood.

“I said stop!” Lexia shouted, pushing him in the chest. Except he didn’t just stumble back like she’d expected him to, he flew across the room landing on some dancers and they all fell to the floor.

“Lexia?” Alice called.

Everyone looked at her and Lexia looked down at her hands. She didn’t mean to, she just wanted him to stop. She staggered forward needing to get away from all the eyes that stared at her.

“Lex, Lexia wait!” Alice’s voice seemed far away. Lexia’s head spun again and she fell into the wall, her shoulder throbbed as it collided.

As she fell out the door, cool gentle hands touched her. Lexia turned, looking into Alice’s face. “I didn’t mean to but he wouldn’t let me go.”

“Of course you didn’t, babe. Josh is a creep. Come on, let’s get you home.”

“No stay, it’s still early and I want to be alone.”

“Lex?”

“I just need a little air, I didn’t drink that much.”

“Lexia you were falling over.”

“I just want to be alone, go inside have fun.”

“If you’re sure, Conner is cute!”

“Go have fun. I’ll call you tomorrow.” She smiled, hoping it was convincing.

“Lex, get some air but if you still feel shit come get me okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Bye, babe.” Alice turned and disappeared into the house.

Lexia started walking down the street away from the people that lingered outside the house; she hoped the fresh air would clear her head.

She slid down a wall and put her head on her knees,
I’ve only had three drinks
she thought.

“Hey Lex, where’d you learn moves like that?”

Lexia looked up at the boy from her school, but she couldn’t remember his name.

“Pretty sweet, you throwing him across the room,” he continued.

Lexia dragged herself upright.

“Wanna come inside with me?”

“No, I’m going home.”

“Lexia come on, that was so awesome! You’re stronger than you look.” He reached out squeezing her arm and Lexia felt a wave of anger roll through her.

“Sorry, I’ve got to go,” she wandered away frightened she might attack someone else.

Staggering from side to side she tried to stay upright. The further she got the worse she felt, everything felt wrong and just standing upright was becoming a problem. The world tilted again and Lexia fell off the curb twisting her ankle.

“Shit,” she muttered, trying to get off the road. Sitting on the curb Lexia took off her shoes and then stood up on wobbly legs. She’d reached a T- junction and as she glanced around, she realized she was lost; the forest was to her right and left seemed to head further into town. Lexia stumbled across the road, hoping once into town she’d find her way. The road seemed to sway beneath her, making her trip over, scraping her knees on the rough tarmac.

Tears spilled from her eyes and she crawled over to the path and leaned against a wall; her knees stung and her head felt so foggy. Lexia just wanted to fall asleep but as her eyes started to close she saw a wolf slinking out of the trees, the cold gleam in its eyes made her heart pick up speed.

Lexia sucked in a breath, eyes going wide she staggered back to her feet trying to move away but her head spun and she fell back to the ground. Scrambling backwards, her dress ripped on the rough ground. Lexia started to sob as the wolf prowled closer. It had the same ice blue eyes that the other one had but this one was black as night and it snarled savagely, running at her.

Lexia cried out as it sunk its teeth into her ankle. She kicked frantically trying to get away with no effect and as it sunk its teeth into her muscled calf she fell back to the ground, her head hitting the pavement.

Lexia braced for another bite but the wolf froze for a second and another growl filled the dark night; the wolf turned and ran off. Relief flooded her system for a second but then a tall man towered above her. She scrambled away crying out.

“Lex, it’s okay!”

“Lincoln?” Lexia looked up at him but she couldn’t see straight.

“Lincoln, the wolf.”

“It’s gone, I scared it off. Come on, in case it comes back.”

Lexia tried to get to her feet but with her dizzy head and the pain in her leg she couldn’t and she slumped to the floor crying, “I can’t”

Lincoln pulled her up but she still swayed. “Jesus, Lexia how much have you drank?” He smelled blood. “Christ, Lex you’re bleeding.”

“It bit me,” she sobbed. “And I think someone put something in my drink.”

Lincoln leaned into her neck and she thought he sniffed at her skin. She felt a rumble come from his chest and then was almost certain she heard a growl.

“Come on, I’ll carry you home then we can fix your leg, it’s not that bad.” He bent and picked her up, cradling her body against his. Her hands clenched onto his shirt as she nuzzled her face into his chest and Lincoln bit back a groan as fur brushed under his skin, the panther stretching out in pleasure.

Lexia tried to say thank you but nothing would come out past the lump in her throat. Her eyes felt heavy and the warmth coming from Lincoln’s body seeped into her bones. She sighed into his chest as a feeling of peace settled in her mind. Being near him, breathing in his smell, feeling his strong solid arms holding her with such care, it felt so right, like she’d finally found what she’d being searching for.

“You comfy there, love?” he chuckled, his chest rumbling under her.

“Mmm” was all she could say.

“What were you doing out there all on your own, Lex?” His voice was so soft and gentle that the answer just fell from Lexia’s mouth before her brain had a chance to filter the answer.

“I wanted to be alone... Guess I kind of threw some asshole across the room at this party me and Alice were at.”

“Well I’m sure he deserved it but why did Alice let you wander off alone?”

She didn’t answer right away, her eyes closing against the thick fog in her brain. “I told her I was just getting some air but then some guy came up to me... I guess I wasn’t thinking.”

He didn’t ask her another question for a while and Lexia drifted off again, snuggling closer against his chest.

“What else is going wrong, Lexia?”

Silence.

“Lexia? Hey, Lex?” He poked her lightly. Her sleepy eyes opened and focused on his face.

“Mmm?”

“What else is going wrong?” he asked. But her eyes closed again. “Lex?”

“Pretty panther,” she whispered.

“What?” Lincoln lifted her away from his body and as the cold whispered over her skin, her eyes reopened.

“Pretty panther,” she smiled, looking right at him.

Lincoln leashed the beast within him, shocked that it had risen to the surface for that second and he’d lost control. It paced now within his mind, confused about the girl he held in his arms, the girl he kept on protecting when she was his enemy and he was supposed to kill her.

When Lexia opened her eyes later, she was in Lincoln’s arms looking up at her house; Lincoln was whispering to her “How are we getting in?”

“He’s not here. You can be as loud as you like, I was supposed to be sleeping at Alice’s. Key’s under the pot.” Her head felt clearer now but the last hour felt fuzzy and blank.

“Did you carry me all the way here?”

“Yes, can’t you remember?”

“Not really, I remember that wolf and you... But not getting here.”

Lincoln breathed a sigh of relief and put Lexia on her feet. Immediately Lexia’s world tipped sideways and her stomach flipped, she leaned forward and threw up.

Lincoln left her to it and unlocked the door.

“You finished?”

“Yes, I’m so sorry. I swear I only had like three drinks.”

“It’s okay.” He picked her back up, walking upstairs to find her bedroom. Lexia tried to keep her eyes open as he placed her on the bed; she rolled over hugging her pillow.

“Where’s the first aid?” he asked, heading for the bedroom door.

“It’s under the bed, Linc.” Worry started to gnaw away at her insides; what if he found out she was different?

He paused and cocked his head to the left, studying her face. “Strange place to keep it.”

He got on his hands and knees, his head disappearing below the bed. When he surfaced, his head level with Lexia’s, she gulped, sucking in a breath. “I’m accident prone,” she whispered, as her eyes travelled to his sculpted mouth; her tongue slipped out wetting her bottom lip.

His head moved a fraction closer, his molten eyes following her tongue. Lexia’s heart started to pound and her skin tingled in anticipation but then Lincoln snapped out of it. “Best fix you up.” He was at her feet in seconds.

Lexia didn’t say anything. Her stomach dropped as she realized he didn’t feel the same way as her. An awkward silence developed between them and she couldn’t stand it any longer so she spoke, “You’re quiet.”

He looked up into her hurt eyes and felt a pang in his chest. “Does it hurt?” Looking back at the wounds he waited for her answer.

“A little, I have a high tolerance to pain.”

“That’s unusual for a girl.” He smiled, the cheeky glint back in his eyes.

“Well, maybe I’m not just an ordinary girl.”

He flashed her a wicked grin and just like that her heart was racing again.

“I’m so tired,” she yawned.

Lincoln finished strapping up her ankle and calf then he sat and studied the sleeping girl on the bed before him. She looked so normal, acted so innocent and yet he knew she was different; he might not have seen her kill for the sake of killing but just one look at her leg with his panther eyes and he could see the speed at which she healed and how her ankle had no scars from the last bite that he’d given her.

I should kill her now while she’s asleep and vulnerable, and yet he stood, pulling the covers over her barely dressed body. When he’d nearly left the room, he heard a faint whisper that stopped him in his tracks.

“Don’t leave me, I don’t want to be alone any longer.”

She’d not even opened her eyes or moved, but he found himself walking to her bed, sitting on her soft mattress. “You’re not alone.”

*******

Lincoln woke with a gasp, and sat upright in Lexia’s bed. Her head in his lap and his hands tangled in her long hair, she was sound asleep; her body half over him clinging to him like her life depended on it.

He had to leave now before it was too late. He felt now what had woken him, the beast within savagely pacing in his mind, claws pricking at his skin. The panther couldn’t handle being this close to this girl who made him feel things he shouldn’t.

Carefully so as not to wake her, Lincoln slipped of the bed. Closing her bedroom door, he moved with silent predatory purpose from her house, pausing for a second to lock her safely in her home and then he let the beast out with a roar.

The panther raced across the ground, taking pleasure from the simple things that ground him; the crinkle of leaves under his pads, the cool night breeze ruffling his fur, the scent of damp pine and animal trails. The panther roared again, snapping and snarling at anything in his way; the lines had become too blurred, he’d let them become blurred. He’d gotten close to her and now the man within him cared too much but he was more than just a man.

The panther within him was as much a part of him as the man, if not more; he’d never denied his heritage as so many others of his kind had. Lincoln had never chained the beast and hidden away from his true nature in cities and skyscrapers. No, he’d clung to the fight his parents had fought their whole lives for, what they’d died for; to protect his race from those who destroyed it.

But he’d messed up, he’d let his human feelings get in the way and now his two halves where at war with themselves. The panther turned sharp when it had reached a mile away from Lexia’s house and started to run in a circle around her home. A perimeter. He snapped and snarled at anything in his way but never once strayed further than a mile away.

Maybe the lines aren’t so blurred after all; maybe my halves aren’t at war. Maybe I’ve already crossed the line.

A wild, fierce roar sang out into the night and silenced the forest warning everyone a predator was close.