Pursued by a Werewolf (Mystic Isle, Book 4) (11 page)

It was a long time before Avery said “what about coven mates?”

Valencia shook her head. “Coven mates should not keep secrets either.”

Valencia refilled their goblets and they sat back in the lounge chairs, listening to the waves. The companionable silence was nice. Different somehow.

“Can I ask you a question?” Avery asked after a long while.

“Of course.”

“Are you happy?”

“I am content.” Which wasn’t the same thing. “But no. I haven’t been truly happy in a long time.”

“Me either,” Avery whispered.

“It is a sad thing to admit. For me. I have so much. Wealth. Property. Jewels…”

“You can go out in the daylight.”

Valencia nodded. Yes, she could. It was the single most yearned for event in the life of a turned vampire.

She had plenty to keep her busy. And not much worthy of complaint, which made the emptiness she felt even greater. Nine days out of ten, she managed to ignore the feeling. Today, she wasn’t that lucky.

“It’s hard to trust again, believe me, I know. But you’re not so old yet.” Valencia offered her a smile. “You can have a second chance…if you want one.”

“You know what I want a second chance at? Life. Childhood. Creating memories. I feel like I spent so much of my life training that I never got to really live it. I don’t remember slumber parties. I didn’t go to prom.”

Valencia had always admired Avery’s spunk. When life got her down, she perked right back up again like a sunflower in Provence.

“So have a slumber party.”

Avery’s brows drew together. “You think?”

“Why not? The cottage is at your disposal.” Valencia swept her hand through the air at the building behind them.

“Okay. Awesome. Yes. But only if you come.”

The suggestion took Valencia by surprise. While she enjoyed the time she spent with the women in her coven, such an event wasn’t her style. She opened her mouth to politely decline but the look of excitement in Avery’s eyes, the high arch of her thin black brows, made her ask “what does one do at a slumber party?”

She had a general idea and it didn’t sound like fun.

“Talk. Play games. Paint our nails. Play dress up. Watch movies. Prank phone calls. Read magazines and stay up till dawn. It’ll be a blast.”

And Avery was off; chattering on about doing their own nails and quality girl time.

“Sounds positively wretched,” Valencia said with a smile. She didn’t deny that the younger woman’s enthusiasm was catching.

“But you have to come. We’ll drink cocktails and loosen up. It’ll be great!”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Which isn’t a no, so I’ll take it.”

It was good to see Avery excited about something again. Valencia had enough melancholy in her life without anyone else adding to it.

“Well, I should get ready for my lesson with the princess.”

Avery hopped off the lounge chair with her usual exuberance but Valencia felt her pause at the french doors.

“V?”

How she’d gotten stuck with a single letter for a nickname she didn’t know. But she’d never bothered to utter a complaint about it. As much as she disliked being boiled down to a consonant, she secretly cherished having a nickname.

“
Oui
?”

“Thanks for being such a great friend. I hope you know…if you ever want to talk about anything, I’m here.”

“
Merci
, Avery.”

CHAPTER TEN

The next evening after her regular class, Pearl showed up for another lesson, smile in place.

“Two sessions in one day. You must really like yoga.”

Pearl tugged at the hem of the loose fitting t-shirt with the Mystic Isle logo across the chest until it hid her curves.

“Hi Avery. How’s your mister?”

Avery worried her lower lip. “Technically, he’s not my mister.” And I have no idea where he is anyway. She hadn’t heard a peep from him since their awkward renegotiation discussion last night that had ended with a kiss on the cheek and zero answers. Certainly not a fulfilled desire.

“But you want him to be,” Pearl said, retrieving her yoga mat. She seemed to scrutinize Avery as she turned back to spread out her mat in the center of the floor.

Pearl couldn’t be further off base. Avery didn’t
want him-want him
, the forever kind of wanting. She did, however, desire his body and the exquisite orgasms he could provide.

“It’s complicated.” Avery tightened her ponytail and stepped onto her mat. “Let’s get started.”

“So what’s complicated?” Pearl asked as they did the
forward bend
. “Doesn’t he like you?”

Avery’d never given private lessons before. The level of personal conversation was new, but Pearl was so charming, she found herself opening up. “Yeah... We’re friends.” And despite her attempt to spice up their friendship, it looked like that was all they were going to be.

“Story of my life,” Pearl said dryly. “You think you’ve got it rough, try adding a title and five lethal brothers. It’s a miracle I even get to the friends stage. Forget friends with benefits,” she said, her golden eyebrows waggling up and down.

Avery laughed and they switched positions; she gave a few pointers.

“We’re not exactly friends with benefits either.” Somehow Hunter made that kind of relationship sound crass and cheap.

“But you want to be. You need to find a way. I can’t believe any man could resist you.”

Pearl’s smile was infectious, causing Avery to giggle.

“I’m serious.”

“So am I,” Avery said. “
Downward dog
.”

Pearl grumbled but got into position.

“A few decades of yoga and I’ll be as hot as you and then maybe I can find a gorgeous man who isn’t full of himself to light my fire.”

Avery laughed so hard she almost fell over.

“Newsflash, princess. You’re already gorgeous. And hilarious. Any man who doesn’t see that isn’t worth your time.”

Pearl knelt on her mat and Avery did the same. “You think so?”

“Absolutely. Your hair is gorgeous. Your smile, radiant. And I happen to know a lot of men who love curves. Not stick figures like me.”

“You look hot in a bikini, I bet.”

Avery studied her student. “And you’d look killer in a little black dress.”

“Thank you for that.”

“It’s true. And it’s not going to get you out of
plank
. Let’s go.”

The other woman protested good-naturedly. Avery realized that Pearl was one of those rare, bubbly people who was an eternal optimist despite what life threw at her. Always in a good mood, no matter what, even when life was handing her lemons. Or, crappy men, as the case may be.

That’d been Avery, thirty years ago. Right before her world had shattered. And now…now she saw that same loneliness in Pearl’s eyes. The same longing for a real relationship, if only they could get past their own personal hurdles.

She closed her eyes as the tears rushed forward. She missed her old bubbly self. Happy, radiant, ready to conquer the world.

“Are you okay?”

She heard Pearl’s voice but it sounded far away.

“Avery?”

“Yeah?” She took a deep breath and focused on the oak floor, blinking the tears away. The scent of floor polish mingled with that of the rubber mats. “Sorry.”

They went through half a dozen poses, Avery giving pointers, but otherwise not speaking.

“Want to talk about it?” Pearl asked. “Not that I have a lot of experience with relationships, but I’m a good listener.”

“I don’t know what good it’d do.” Her friendship with Hunter was confusing. They weren’t exactly buddies but they were on friendly terms. But she didn’t have any male friends whom she’d slept with so the protocol was all messed up. And after last night…she simply didn’t know where she stood with him.

“What’s he like?”

“Tall, dark and gorgeous.”

Pearl laughed. “Of course. Werewolf?”

“Yeah.”

“They’re the yummiest, aren’t they?” Pearl put a hand down to steady herself and Avery noted she wasn’t struggling with the poses as much as she had been earlier. That meant her muscles were warmed up and engaged.

“You said it.”

“So he likes you and you like him. What’s holding you back?”

They switched poses and Avery tried to figure out how to answer that question. She didn’t make excuses for who she was, but Pearl was a client, not a coven mate.

“We want different things, I guess.”

“Ahh.” She nodded slowly. “I know how that goes.”

There it was again. That hint of sadness that seemed so out of character for the bubbly princess.

“But as my great grandmother says, if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.”

“My grandmother used to say ‘you’ve made your bed. Now you’ve gotta lay in it.’”

“She sounds like a wise woman.”

“That she was. You’re doing great today,” she said as they rested in the
modified corpse
pose.

“Thanks. I think I’m getting the hang of it.”

“I told you you would,” Avery said with a smile. “So enough about me. What about you? Has an island stud caught your eye?”

The dimple in Pearl’s cheek made an appearance. “Not yet. But I hold out hope.”

Freshly showered, Hunter made a beeline to the elevator. Cell phone in hand he called his brother and arranged a get together in half an hour at the Skyline bar on the roof of the main hotel.

As he stepped off the elevator he almost ran into Shade and Izzy. They were so crazy in love; Hunter was jealous as hell of Shade’s right to touch Izzy any time he wanted. Not that he wanted to touch Izzy. But he wanted the right to touch Avery at any point throughout the day or night.

And the way Izzy looked at the demon could have started a forest fire.

He took a deep, calming breath, wanting that too. Patience, wolf.

“Hey, you guys want to meet me at the Skyline bar in twenty minutes? Maxim and Ceara will be there. I’m going to see if Avery’s in.”

The other two shared a look. They’d had plans. Of the sexy variety, if Hunter had to wage a guess. But then Izzy gave a delicate little shrug.

“Sure. We will join you.”

“Excellent.” Hunter gave Shade a friendly slap on the back as he stepped aside. No doubt they were going to get frisky in the elevator on the way up to the bar. Demons. Gotta love ‘em. They were almost as sexual as wolves. Almost.

Fuck. He needed to stop thinking about sex. His shorts weren’t going to be any good at hiding a hard on.

He strode through the halls, eager for another casual group date with Avery. Did she realize she was being courted? He hoped not. Otherwise she’d probably turn him down flat.

If only he could hold off her advances long enough; which was far easier said than done. He’d almost caved last night. Of course Avery would decide that they should renegotiate the terms of their relationship while he was trying to play it cool.

He heard her voice as he approached the yoga room and felt a jolt of happiness spread through him. Pausing, he leaned against the wall just outside the doorway. Sure, eavesdropping was rude and he’d probably pay for it by hearing something he didn’t want to but he was desperate. He needed any advantage he could get to win his woman. Hard headed, gorgeous woman.

“I’m telling you. Next guy I see, I’m just going to walk right up to him and plant a kiss right on his smacker. Then we’ll go from there. I’ve gotta get him out of my mind before he drives me crazy.”

Hunter couldn’t believe his ears. That was Avery’s voice. She sounded horny and desperate. As horny and desperate as he felt.

“Good luck with that,” Pearl said a few seconds later.

“You don’t think it will work?”

“After everything you’ve told me about Mr. Complicated, no. Not really. But we’ve already established I know nothing about the male of the species, especially concerning matters of the heart.”

Hunter frowned. What did Pearl mean by that? And who was Mr. Complicated?

Didn’t matter. He wasn’t leaving anything to chance. Certainly not another man sweeping into that room, straight into…Avery’s arms.

Oh, that’s evil.

Perfectly evil, his wolf agreed. Smirking, he shoved away from the wall and strode into the room.

“Hello ladies.”

Avery’s gaze swerved to his and the surprised expression on her beautiful face was priceless. Was she putting two and two together? After all, she’d just said she was going to kiss the next man she saw. And she was looking right at him. He felt Pearl’s gaze but didn’t dare take his eyes off Avery, didn’t want to give her a chance to back out.

“Hi Hunter,” Pearl said. “Good to see you.”

Avery glanced back and forth between him and Pearl as if trying to make the connection. Not giving her any time to jump to false conclusions, he said “I’m meeting everyone at Skyline in a few minutes, you up for it? You’re welcome to join us Pearl.”

“Oh, I’d love too, but I’m all messy,” Pearl said.

He spared her a glance. “You look lovely, as always.”

“I think I’ll go take a quick shower.” She turned to Avery. “May I be excused, teacher?” Her grin was wide, mischievous and infectious. She was purposely leaving them alone together. Thank the gods for small favors.

And good friends.

Avery laughed. “Yeah. See you in a bit.”

Pearl stared at Avery for a long moment.

“What?” Avery asked.

Pearl shrugged. “Just wanted to see if you were serious…about what you said before.”

Avery’s jaw dropped a little. Smirking, Pearl gathered her bag and headed for the door.

Would Avery act on her earlier declaration to kiss the first man she saw? Was she really ready for more as she claimed to be and would that ruin his carefully made plans?

He decided to let her play this one out as she saw fit.

One thing he’d learned: patience was the ultimate virtue. If he waited just a little longer he could have everything he wanted. He just hoped he could hold her on the precipice of desire long enough for her to cave. For him to get her to admit her feelings. To draw out her history so they could put those ghosts behind them and move on.