2. Predator

~ CARA ~

That night, I sat bored and tired, a cup of warm beer on the coffee table next to me, my temple leaned on my fist as my study-group, and half my classmates, got drunk around me.

I was exhausted. After that run-in with Rig, my head had been scattered, and it had taken twice as long to do everything. I couldn’t leave work because the first payment for the year on my room and board at school was due the following week and I was still short. I had to pick up every extra shift I could and pray that I’d manage to get my studying done during the quiet hours at the library.

Not that I’d gotten any studying done that day. Every moment I wasn’t helping someone, I’d found myself staring at a wall, or a book in my hand, replaying that kiss.

It was so wrong, on so many levels… and yet, my stomach fluttered every time it entered my thoughts. Which seemed like it was every other minute.

A ripple of gasps nearby snapped me out of the thoughts—again—and I looked up. The five people who’d been assigned to my study group for Modern Lit stood in a cluster just in front of my chair. Three other girls, and two guys. They’d all insisted that we were going to work better together if we got to know each other. And of course they’d decided that the way to do that was to go to this party together.

I’d been the only one who didn’t want to attend, but I’d come anyway to prove that I’d do my part. At least it was only a casual boozer at a senior’s apartment. My Walmart jeans and school hoodie didn’t make me stand out too badly.

But I had things to do. I was going to be studying for at least a couple hours when I got back to my room in the dorm. So, I was really just waiting for everyone to get drunk enough that they wouldn’t notice me leave.

“For real, though!” I was distracted from the brewing self-pity party by Diana Fowler, the prettiest of the girls in my study group. She was on her fourth beer and starting to get loose. “They called him the Night Walker, and he’s like some kind of vampire or something, because he bit a girl’s throat and she was bleeding really bad and—”

I yawned. I’d been hearing these rumors for a few days. Apparently some girl had been attacked on the weekend. And even though I felt for her, I seriously doubted all this shit about some serial biter. I suspected someone’s ex-boyfriend had played a prank gone wrong—or the gossips were just trying to create drama. Every college needed an urban legend. Ours was called the Night Walker and enjoyed the taste of girly-flesh. Just not enough to actually kill anyone.

“Here, Cara. Try this. My sister doesn’t like beer either.”

I blinked and looked up to find Sam, the brown-haired, lanky guy from my study group standing over me with a small smile. He held out a clear plastic cup filled with something peach colored.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Just pomegranate and mango juice—you don’t drink, right?”

I shook my head, but didn’t smile. Alcohol and I were not friends, but I didn’t feel like explaining that to Sam who’d been a little too attentive in class and not good at taking subtle hints. “Thanks,” I said carefully, taking the cup from him and smelling it. I couldn’t smell any alcohol, but I wasn’t stupid enough to actually drink something a guy made me, so I pretended to take a small sip.

Sam smiled, his eyes bright and fixed on me.

“What?” I asked, my skin crawling.

“Nothing. You’re just cute,” he said, but he wouldn’t stop staring at me.

My Creep Radar flashed an alarm, so I put the cup of might-be-juice-might-be-date-rape aside on the coffee table next to my discarded beer, and got to my feet. “Excuse me, I just need to use the bathroom.” It was a lie. I was going to leave.

Sam’s brows pinched, but he stepped out of the way as I weaved past him. I wasn’t even halfway across the room when I felt eyes on me and my skin prickled. I looked up, expecting to see some drunk guy, leering.

But instead I found Rig Landon, just stepping into the room, surrounded by his friends.

They were like something out of a movie—Rig standing at the head of a spear, his friends lined up either side and behind him.

Charlie, the quiet one with the sandy-brown hair. He was built like a wrestler and the smallest of the bunch, so still six feet tall at least. Jack, sunny and always laughing, with golden hair that fell in curls almost to his jaw. He should have looked ridiculous. Instead, with his broad chest and sunny smile, he looked Australian. Hot Australian.

And then Mack—dark like Rig, but edgier with it. He was all sharp angles and darting eyes. Some girls went in for that kind of thing. I wasn’t going to deny that the guy was handsome. But to me, where Rig felt like a predator stalking the forest, Mack seemed like the snake—the one who would sneak up on you while your eyes were locked on the wolf.

A memory of that afternoon, of Rig’s heated smile, the way his tongue flicked against mine, flashed in my head and my belly clenched.

I would have just ducked my head and rushed past them on my way out, but Rig had already seen me, and that wicked smile of his was rising again.

Bracing myself, I lifted my chin, tore my eyes away from his and stalked towards the door. I had to pass him, but I wouldn’t even look—

A broad, firm chest suddenly slipped into my path and I had to stop before I ran into him bodily.

“There’s my little library friend,” he murmured, his voice a husky gravel.

“Cara, are you—”

A heavy hand landed on my shoulder and every instinct screamed. I flinched and whirled, breaking the grip and shoving the arm off before I’d even thought—only to find Sam standing there, open-mouthed in shock. But catching myself from the sudden movement had made my head spin, and instead of telling him exactly where he could put his hands, I wobbled and tipped sideways into the broad, steel chest beside me.

Rig caught me at the waist, his hands large enough that his thumbs stroked my stomach, while his fingers curled into my back. I was enveloped in that heavenly scent of pine and rain and grass after a summer shower. God, I wanted to sink into that scent, lay my head on that chest, twine my fingers between his and—

“Cara?” he rumbled my name as a question. “You okay?” His voice was oddly normal—and concerned.

“Yes, I…” I was still off balance, my head tipped up and I got locked in that arctic gaze again. “You smell good,” I blurted lamely.

Cheeks heating, I watched in horror as Rig’s face stretched into a knowing smile and he raised one eyebrow. “Well, that’s—”

Suddenly realizing what I was doing, I gasped and grabbed at Rig’s arms to steady myself, to push away from him, but the moment my hands touched his skin thick, hot desire coursed through me.

As if he knew what I was suddenly feeling, his smile turned suggestive and the tip of his tongue appeared, teasing along his lip again… like he remembered the kiss, and he could taste it.

A low groan rolled in my throat. An image flashed in my head—I’d grab his face, pull him down, lay my lips on that gorgeous mouth. Then he’d walk me backwards and pin me to the wall again, kissing his way down my neck and pressing against me until I gasped his name—

What the actual fuck was wrong with me?

I didn’t let myself think. Just shoved off his chest and out of his grip, holding one hand up to stop him when it looked like he might follow me.

“Cara—”

I shook my head and tore myself away, vaguely aware of his friends behind him, laughing. But there wasn’t time to think. I couldn’t hesitate, or he’d suck me back in.

“Leave me alone!” I snapped.

I darted past him and his friends, weaving through the crowd towards the door, my heart hammering in my chest, and my belly screaming at me not to be so hasty.

I could feel his eyes on me for every step until my trembling hand landed on the doorknob. I turned to quickly glance over my shoulder, only to find him watching me. So I yanked it open, letting the chill, night air wash over me and cool my cheeks, sucking it in deep, bracing breaths as I ran into the night.

But even as I ran, that gaze, sharp and predatory, making promises I yearned for him to keep, and promises that I feared, stayed in my mind’s eye and burned in my belly.

I was in so much trouble.

I didn’t stop running until I was safely back at the dorm.