Batch (Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Desired by a Dragon Book 2) by Terra Wolf, Hailey Storm Page B
Authors: Terra Wolf, Hailey Storm
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because then it would look like I’d been counting. A second in command never counted the days he’d been on a mission. He buckled down and completed the damn task. End of story.
“I’m sure you’re probably wondering what brought me to you.” I paused at the top step, unsure if Silas was going to let me in. He didn’t know I’d slept with Scarlet before we parted ways months ago, of that I was certain, but he did know that I had feelings for her. He could sense it, I knew he could.
“Somewhat, but you know I don’t mind you being here.” He opened the door behind him and motioned for me to step inside. “Is everything all right? You seemed a little anxious on the phone.”
Had I sounded anxious? I guessed it was possible. “No, it’s nothing we can’t take care of.” I waved his words away. “Just tired from the drive.”
The instant I moved past him and into the house, I could smell Scarlet’s scent. It lingered in the air, tempting me worse than the dreams I’d had of her since we were last together. What the hell was I doing here? This wouldn’t end well. Getting close to Scarlet meant marking her for devastation. I knew this, and I refused to let things play out for her the way they had for every other woman in my life I’d loved. They’d each been ripped away from me by Death.
The cycle had started with my mother. She’d been killed by a hunter when I was a child. I’d witnessed the whole thing while hidden inside a cabinet nearby. I’d done nothing to stop the ugly bastard from taking my mother’s life. Fear had paralyzed me. My younger sister’s death had come a few years later in a freak car accident. After her, I realized no woman in my life would be safe from Death’s greedy hands.
It had been a hard pill to swallow, but one I had nonetheless. It was why I couldn’t allow Scarlet in. No, it was why I refused to. Also, it didn’t help that she was Silas’s baby sister. He’d warned me when we were younger to never screw around with her or her heart. I’d promised I wouldn’t, and I always kept my promises.
However, being here, in Scarlet’s presence, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop myself. I craved her the way an addict craved his next hit.
I inhaled her scent and licked my lips, hoping to taste her on the tip of my tongue. Jesus, it was a bad idea to come here. I should have called to warn Silas instead of doing so in person. I knew this now. However, I also knew that now that I was here there was no way in hell I’d be able to make myself leave.
“How about I get you a cup of coffee and we talk about whatever it is?” Silas kept shooting glances at me that had me thinking he could tell what I was feeling for Scarlet and what I’d done to her. It made me uneasy.
“Yeah, sure. That sounds good.”
I followed him through the house and into the kitchen. The scent of coffee and Scarlet hung heavy in the air, mixing and mingling. It was her coffee I smelled. I knew before Silas even said a word. She never liked regular coffee. Scarlet always drank coconut flavored stuff. It was a little sweet for me, even without any cream or sugar, but whenever she offered me any I always accepted. Any piece of her I could taste I wouldn’t turn away.
“Give me a second. Let me make us some regular coffee. This is Scarlet’s coconut crap.”
The sound of someone coming down the stairs had my heart pounding in my throat. I knew who it was before she rounded the corner. I could smell her—lilacs and vanilla, her signature scent.
“First of all, my coffee is not crap,” she spat as she rounded the corner. A smirk twisted at my lips to see that she was still a little spit-fire. Her eyes locked on me and I noticed when she inhaled a sharp breath. She couldn’t hide the fact that I was the last person she’d expected to see, but she recovered quickly. “And second, what are you doing here?”
I fought the urge not to laugh. God, I’d missed her bluntness. “Well hello to
“I’m sure you’re probably wondering what brought me to you.” I paused at the top step, unsure if Silas was going to let me in. He didn’t know I’d slept with Scarlet before we parted ways months ago, of that I was certain, but he did know that I had feelings for her. He could sense it, I knew he could.
“Somewhat, but you know I don’t mind you being here.” He opened the door behind him and motioned for me to step inside. “Is everything all right? You seemed a little anxious on the phone.”
Had I sounded anxious? I guessed it was possible. “No, it’s nothing we can’t take care of.” I waved his words away. “Just tired from the drive.”
The instant I moved past him and into the house, I could smell Scarlet’s scent. It lingered in the air, tempting me worse than the dreams I’d had of her since we were last together. What the hell was I doing here? This wouldn’t end well. Getting close to Scarlet meant marking her for devastation. I knew this, and I refused to let things play out for her the way they had for every other woman in my life I’d loved. They’d each been ripped away from me by Death.
The cycle had started with my mother. She’d been killed by a hunter when I was a child. I’d witnessed the whole thing while hidden inside a cabinet nearby. I’d done nothing to stop the ugly bastard from taking my mother’s life. Fear had paralyzed me. My younger sister’s death had come a few years later in a freak car accident. After her, I realized no woman in my life would be safe from Death’s greedy hands.
It had been a hard pill to swallow, but one I had nonetheless. It was why I couldn’t allow Scarlet in. No, it was why I refused to. Also, it didn’t help that she was Silas’s baby sister. He’d warned me when we were younger to never screw around with her or her heart. I’d promised I wouldn’t, and I always kept my promises.
However, being here, in Scarlet’s presence, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop myself. I craved her the way an addict craved his next hit.
I inhaled her scent and licked my lips, hoping to taste her on the tip of my tongue. Jesus, it was a bad idea to come here. I should have called to warn Silas instead of doing so in person. I knew this now. However, I also knew that now that I was here there was no way in hell I’d be able to make myself leave.
“How about I get you a cup of coffee and we talk about whatever it is?” Silas kept shooting glances at me that had me thinking he could tell what I was feeling for Scarlet and what I’d done to her. It made me uneasy.
“Yeah, sure. That sounds good.”
I followed him through the house and into the kitchen. The scent of coffee and Scarlet hung heavy in the air, mixing and mingling. It was her coffee I smelled. I knew before Silas even said a word. She never liked regular coffee. Scarlet always drank coconut flavored stuff. It was a little sweet for me, even without any cream or sugar, but whenever she offered me any I always accepted. Any piece of her I could taste I wouldn’t turn away.
“Give me a second. Let me make us some regular coffee. This is Scarlet’s coconut crap.”
The sound of someone coming down the stairs had my heart pounding in my throat. I knew who it was before she rounded the corner. I could smell her—lilacs and vanilla, her signature scent.
“First of all, my coffee is not crap,” she spat as she rounded the corner. A smirk twisted at my lips to see that she was still a little spit-fire. Her eyes locked on me and I noticed when she inhaled a sharp breath. She couldn’t hide the fact that I was the last person she’d expected to see, but she recovered quickly. “And second, what are you doing here?”
I fought the urge not to laugh. God, I’d missed her bluntness. “Well hello to
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