Nature of the Beasts (4 page)

“It’s fine,” Maggie said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “You look like you could use someone to talk to about right now anyway.”

Sarah grinned. It was amazing how quick she and Maggie had hit it off. Even though Sarah could just snap her fingers and make her nails appear however she wanted, she wanted to blend in like Dastan and Dmitry, which meant she did things the human way.

Sarah actually found she enjoyed getting her nails done. It was very relaxing, and on top of that, she’d found a new friend.

“So how are things out at the ranch?” Maggie asked.

Sarah rolled her eyes. “The two of them are going to drive me insane.”

Maggie snickered. “What I wouldn’t give to have your problem. Two gorgeous men, one of them foreign. Why you haven’t jumped on one of them is beyond me.”

“You just don’t know them like I do.”

Maggie smiled and began to sand the gel on Sarah’s fingers. “Well, tell me about them. You obviously need to get something off your chest, so have at it.”

Oh, how she would love to be able to tell Maggie everything. How Dastan and Dmitry distracted her without even trying. How they would walk around the barn or the fields close to the house without their shirts on. How the sun would glisten on their tan, sweat-covered torsos. How their muscles would ripple as they moved.

God, how she wished winter would hurry and arrive. Maybe then she wouldn’t see as much of their bodies. Maybe then she could ignore the growing need to be sandwiched between them, their hot mouths on hers, their hands roaming over her flesh.

“Hey,” Maggie said.

Sarah blinked. “What?”

A wicked gleam appeared in Maggie’s eyes. “Which one were you just with in that head of yours? Dastan or Dmitry?”

“Would it be terrible if I said both?”

Even as she said it, the heat of a blush moved over her cheeks.

Maggie giggled. “Absolutely not. Hell, I’d do both.”

Sarah smiled, relieved that Maggie appeared to not take her seriously. “Things are just busy at the ranch. The guys are getting ready for fall. They’re both pretty tired, and when they get tired, they get grumpy.”

“Life of a cowboy,” Maggie mumbled. “Those two have certainly caused a stir around here. Sam and Cody were good-looking, but these two… They have the market cornered on gorgeous.”

Sarah silently nodded in agreement.

“Even the women want to know about you. How you got so lucky to live with them.”

Sarah licked her lips and mentally went back over the lie she and the shifters had rehearsed. “It wasn’t so much luck as it was a promise Dastan made to my dad before he died to make sure I was taken care of. When they decided to buy the ranch, Dastan brought me with him.” Sarah shrugged and looked down at her nails. Her dad wasn’t really dead, and Sarah liked Maggie enough that she hated lying to her like this. “He didn’t feel comfortable leaving me in New York.”

“So you just keep house for them?” Maggie asked.

Sarah was a little surprised at the twenty questions. Maggie hadn’t asked her much about her life before now. They’d joked around, talked vaguely about childhood, but this was the first time Maggie had really questioned her.

“No, that’s not all I do. I take online classes as well,” Sarah lied. “I’m working toward a degree in English Lit. I would like to one day teach.”

Inside, Sarah cringed. This lying and coming up with crap off-the-cuff was getting way too easy.

“Oh, that would be cool. I always wanted to go to college, but it just never happened.” Maggie’s attention returned to Sarah’s nails.

“It’s never too late,” Sarah offered.

“For some of us it is,” Maggie murmured.

Sarah felt bad for her and tried to think of a way to lighten the mood. “Are you dating anyone?” Sarah asked.

Maggie shook her head. “Nah, which is why I envy you so much. Around here there’s not too many good ones to choose from.”

“The sheriff’s not bad,” Sarah suggested.

And truthfully, he wasn’t. He appeared to be in his midthirties, dark hair, dark eyes, and from the looks of his muscular physique, he obviously took care of himself. Dmitry would freak out if he knew she’d noticed.

“Yeah, Mike’s cute, but he’s too straitlaced for me.”

Sarah giggled. “I would’ve never pegged that about you.”

Maggie laughed as well, and Sarah was glad to see her smile again. She liked Maggie and enjoyed her weekly visits to the salon.

Something just past Sarah’s shoulder caught Maggie’s attention. “Well, well,” Maggie purred. “Someone’s looking for you.”

Sarah didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. Her sixth sense told her it was Dastan, but she spun to face him anyway.

“God,” she said with a groan. “Do the two of you have me LoJacked or something?”

Maggie giggled but tried to drop her head briefly to hide it.

“Not yet, but I might if you don’t stop running off without letting me know,” Dastan replied.

Maggie raised an eyebrow.

“It’s Monday,” Sarah said. “Where do I always go on Monday?”

“Found you, didn’t I?” he replied, then gave her a tight-lipped grin.

Sarah rolled her eyes in frustration. She noticed Maggie’s fingers tighten around hers, and Sarah glanced at their hands. Why were her fingers shaking all of a sudden? Maggie had obviously noticed. Maggie gave her a knowing smile, then turned her attention to Dastan.

“Dastan,” Maggie said. “Unusual name. Where did it come from?”

He grinned that wickedly devilish smile. “My mother.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Dastan’s mother was a Persian history buff. She loved the name,” Sarah offered, since obviously Dastan wasn’t going to.

“It’s interesting…different,” Maggie said as she studied Dastan.

“Did you want something?” Sarah asked as she peered up at Dastan.

“Yes. Meet Dmitry and me for lunch at the diner next door when you’re done. The lumber I ordered should be ready to go by the time we finish. Then we can head back to the ranch. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“Please?”

Dastan’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “Please.”

She sighed. “I suppose.”

He snorted and turned to leave.

“You could’ve used the phone, you know,” she called after him.

“And miss seeing that annoyed face?” he called back as he pushed the door open and walked out.

“Girl,” Maggie murmured.

Sarah turned to look at her.

“That protective thing you think he’s got going on for you?” Maggie tilted her head. “He wants you.” Maggie pointed her nail file at her. “And don’t think I didn’t see the desire you have for him either.”

Sarah shook her head.

“Don’t shake your head. Why are you denying it?”

“Because I don’t want it. If I keep denying it long enough, it will go away.”

Maggie laughed. “Dream on.”

STANDING ON THE other side of the two-lane road that ran through downtown, he watched in shock as Dastan left the salon. What was he doing here? He moved back into the shadows, keeping his eyes on the shifter. He’d heard that Dastan no longer worked as guardian for the council, but he never expected to see him here in the mortal world.

He continued to watch and wasn’t at all surprised to see who Dastan met up with. Of course, Dmitry would be here. One of them never went anywhere without the other. They were joined at the hip.

A calm had settled over him briefly after killing that girl. But Dastan’s presence had all but ruined that sense of serenity. He hated Dastan. He and Dastan had been part of the same pack at one time, but that had been over two millennia ago. It was doubtful Dastan would even remember him, even if they were face-to-face.

He, on the other hand, definitely remembered Dastan. It was the Persian prince who had him banished from their pack. Dastan didn’t approve of his unusual appetites. Well, as far as he was concerned, Dastan could rot in hell.

For centuries the Persian was basically untouchable. When Dastan was guardian to the council, he didn’t dare make a move against him. But now that he was retired… Well, that was a different matter entirely.

The mortal world would be the perfect place to get his revenge against Dastan. Here, his shifter sense was a bit weaker. Here, Dastan wouldn’t see him coming.

Maybe this town would be a good place to set up shop for a time. He could scope things out, keep an eye on his enemy shifter. If he could find out what was most important to Dastan, he could formulate a plan for getting even.

He smiled coyly. This would allow him to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. He could satisfy his lust for blood and at the same time satisfy his vengeance against Dastan.

Dastan waited impatiently outside the restaurant for Sarah to join them. Normally her going off alone didn’t bother him, but after finding that woman’s body, he couldn’t seem to shake the lingering sense of dread. He would feel much better if Sarah were home with them, where she belonged.

He glanced over at Dmitry, who leaned casually against the porch railing. Dmitry had a thing for Sarah, big-time. Although he would not admit it, Dmitry was probably falling in love with her. Dastan wasn’t too far behind him. Despite her sharp tongue and her stubborn pride, Dastan could easily see himself making Sarah his mate. The only problem was she wasn’t a shifter.

And that was the one big thing that puzzled the hell out of him. Why did he have a mating pull? Why did he want her as though she was the one woman in the world who would fit? It just didn’t make any sense. Which was one of the biggest reasons why he hadn’t made a move. Until he understood what all this meant, he wasn’t sure he should.

Dastan felt her presence before ever spotting her. He glanced down the sidewalk just as she shut the door to the salon and headed in their direction. She looked so adorable in the salon it had taken all his willpower to not touch her. It seemed the more he was around her, the harder it became to keep his hands to himself.

She had her blonde hair pulled to the side and braided. The jeans she wore hugged her hips and made him swallow back a moan of approval. God, she looked good today.

She’d been right earlier. He could’ve used the phone, but heaven help him, he liked seeing her. Especially when she looked like she did today.

“What’s with the whole hovering thing?” she asked in annoyance as she came closer. “You guys never eat lunch in town.”

“That’s not true. We’ve eaten here several times, just not with you,” Dastan said, then moved in a little closer so he could lower his voice. “And considering what we found not far from the house, I believe I’m entitled to hover.”

Sarah pursed her lips. “Point taken.”

“Let’s get inside and eat. I’m starving,” Dmitry said as he put his hand at the small of Sarah’s back and ushered her inside.

She glanced briefly over her shoulder at Dmitry’s arm but didn’t try to pull away. Dastan followed. Sarah’s sweet scent lingered, and his nostrils flared. The smell of her skin and hair never failed to make his senses come alive. But today he’d noticed another scent clinging to her.

It was light, but it was there. A musky smell more often associated with shifters. Dastan shook his head and rubbed at the back of his neck as though to dislodge a headache. Sarah wasn’t a shifter, so the scent had to be coming from somewhere else. Right?

Sarah took her seat at the table and looked up at him with a frown. “Headache?”

Dastan dropped his hand and pulled the chair from the table. “No. Just tired, I think. I’ve forgotten just how much work a ranch is. It’s been a while since I’ve done such intensive physical labor.”

Sarah smiled softly in understanding as she took the menu from the waitress. “Trust me. I know what you mean.” Leaning forward, she lowered her voice slightly. “For the first time in my life, I’m doing things by hand, like washing dishes or weeding the flower garden in the front yard. It can be tiring when you’re not used to it.”

“Afternoon, gentlemen,” the waitress said as her flirty smile widened.

Dastan didn’t miss how the woman pretty much completely ignored Sarah. She didn’t seem to mind. Instead, Sarah appeared to find it amusing as she watched the young woman fawn all over him and Dmitry.

She took their drink orders, and when it looked as though she would leave without getting Sarah’s, Sarah touched the waitress’s arm and said, “I’ll have a tea, thank you.”

The woman gave her an embarrassed smile. “Of course. Sorry.”

Sarah watched her go, then turned to Dmitry with a grin. “I think she likes you.”

Dmitry snorted. “Not my type.”

“What is your type?” Sarah asked.

Dmitry kept his gaze on her as he replied, “Blondes.”

“Hmm,” she said as she looked back to Dastan. “I was thinking I might change my hair color. What do you think of red?”

Dastan fought a grin.

Dmitry gripped Sarah’s chin and turned her to face him. “Just a heads-up. I would still know you’re a blonde.”

He brushed his thumb briefly over Sarah’s lip. Dastan watched her. She hid it well, but her reaction was there—a slight spark of desire in her eyes, a brief quivering of her flesh. She was attracted to both of them, and that was a good thing, considering he and Dmitry liked to share.

Just thinking of Sarah between them, their naked bodies entwined, had Dastan’s cock hardening. He really needed to think of something else and quick before he lost what little self-control he had where she was concerned. Maybe later, when the moon was out, he’d head out for a four-legged run. He needed to burn off some energy in a bad way.

SARAH WASN’T QUITE sure what to make of her reaction to Dmitry’s touch. Part of her wanted to jerk away from it, but another part of her felt the loss like a punch when he removed his hand. Sometimes when she was this close to either Dmitry or Dastan, she felt like she was ready to jump out of her skin.

It was a weird sensation. Not one of disgust but one of restless energy. She felt the need to run, to yell, to have sex.

She studied the menu much more intently than she really needed. She already knew what she wanted to eat; she just wanted to think of anything that might take her mind off the way her body reacted to the shifters.