She memorized the questions and answered easily, “I love how electric the city is. I feel more alive here than when I was in Cavite. I’m from the Bacoor, about an hour south of Metro Manila. I went to UP, and this is so different from there! Have you been?” He nodded, taking a sip from his glass. “As for working for myself, I love it. But I don’t want to talk about work except to say I won’t be working for your firm.” He laughed loudly at that. “I don’t blame you! And what about my last question.” She smiled, happy he wasn’t offended at her turning down the job if there ever was one. “I would love to go to the park with you.” He nodded and leaned forward, but the server reappeared and asked if they were ready thereby stopping him from saying what he intended to. Daniel asked if he could order for her, and she said he could. “Two Filet Mignons please. Raw for me with a baked potato, everything on it.” He looked at Alessandra. “Medium well, and the baked potato sounds amazing. J
Nigel nodded and met his eyes in the rearview, then pulled the car away, merging with traffic. The window rolled up to give them privacy again and Daniel was grateful for the thought. But what to say to Alessandra with her looking at him like this, he had no clue. He took her hand and stared out the window, wondering what he could tell her and how much. It was a while before they got to 51st Street where the park began, and he took that time to consider the fact that he’d never revealed what he was to a human. Up in the woods they had only been werewolves in their small community. As the lights of the city flew by the window, he toyed with her fingers, his mind racing. Nigel opened the door for them when they arrived and this time it was Daniel who helped Alessandra out. She smiled at his driver and allowed herself to be led into the darkness as though she weren’t afraid of him in the slightest. The park in daylight was one thing, and she’d turned down that, but now with only
“Can I touch you?” Her hand drifted toward him and he stepped closer until all she had to do was lean down. She stroked his back slowly, bewildered that the man was now a wolf, the miracle of that. After a few moments of petting him, she kneeled. He bowed his head and closed his eyes. “You’re gorgeous,” she whispered, tracing her index finger from his forehead to the end of the long black muzzle. She lifted his chin and he gazed at her. “Thank you for trusting me.” He stepped back. The sounds of bones cracking echoed off the walls again as he shifted to his human form. As his head completed shaping, he raised it and met her eyes. There was so much emotion staring back at her! She walked to him and he met her halfway. Touching his cheek, she tilted her head for a kiss. He brushed his pink lips against hers and whispered, “I am overcome.” She shook her head and smiled, overjoyed and quieted by the respect she had for him. “I have no desire to run from you. I just want to get close
In her sleep, Alessandra cuddled up to him and he wrapped a possessive arm around her, looking down at her pretty face. There was a small smile on it and she peeked at him through sleepy eyelids. “You’re awake,” she whispered. “I am. I’m nocturnal by nature.” He traced up and down her curvy side with his fingertips. “But I’ve become accustomed to normal human hours.” She kissed him. “Still want to marry me?” Her smile said she just wanted to hear him say it again. “I still want to marry you. You look like you’re waking up. Want to go for that walk now?” Burrowing into his chest, she laughed. “In Central Park? Really?” “Yeah. My wolf needs some nature around him. You’ve awoken something in me, my love.” She kissed his chest and peeked up at him, looking so beautiful as her eyes twinkled. “I’d love to go for a walk in the park with you. I just need a coffee! Or twelve,” she laughed then glanced downward. “Don’t you want to do something about that,” she smiled, motion
Alessandra smiled, but looked at Daniel, wondering what they were talking about. He led her to the side as the sound of the front door opening reached her ears, the voices of Darius and Donald growing louder. Oh no! She didn’t want to see those guys right now. That Donald was a little intimidating. Alessandra straightened her spine and watched the two men…two werewolves…give her the once over as they entered the room. From their faces, Daniel had been right about their senses of hearing and smell. They knew she was there before they’d walked in. Donald was as intense as always, but Darius had a gleam in his eyes that was pure excitement and curiosity. His lecherous smile was gone, just like Daniel had told her it would be. Then frowns creased their foreheads at the exact same time. “You smell like blood again,” Donald growled. “What the hell?” Darius exclaimed, staring at the dark-haired wolf at her side. Elias came out from behind the bar to stand between the two pairs.
“Excuse me,” the groom asked him, and Daniel moved aside, not realizing he was blocking the entrance. “Thank you. You ready?” he asked his bride-to-be. “I can’t believe we’re doing this!” They opened the doors and went in. Daniel couldn’t look at his friends. “Time?” Donald grated through his teeth, “Ten.” “Where is she?” Darius groaned, tapping his feet. Just then, he heard her voice and his hands escaped his pockets as he took a couple of steps toward the welcome sound. There were other female voices with her, and their heels clicked speedily along the floor, a clear sign they knew they were running late. Donald sighed out all of his tension and Elias chuckled. “You guys should see your faces.” With nervous laughter in his voice, Darius said the obvious, “Here they come.” Around the corner appeared his future wife wearing a white floor-length spaghetti-strapped dress that hugged her in all the right places. Her hair was in loose, long curls and she wore no je
Why is it that when your friends get married, all of a sudden the clock ticks like someone slyly lodged a time bomb in your uterus, dead center? “What are you thinking of having?” The voice interrupting Rihanna’s apocalyptic wanderings was deep and hinted at sex, even though the reception of seven was only on their way to breakfast. The walk from the wedding to here had been filled with lively conversation amidst the now entwined two groups of friends. It had given Rihanna a chance to sneak away into the privacy of her own thoughts...more than once. The groom and his buddies? This was the first she’d met any of them, even though she was the bride’s best friend. It had been a whirlwind romance, to say the least. And while Rihanna hadn’t at all understood the rush, and had given Alessandra a hard time the entire morning as they got her ready, she’d kind of changed her mind after spying four stunning male creatures waiting outside the City Clerk’s office, in their best suits, lo
A small smile lit up the woman’s eyes as she glanced at Elias like they had something in common. "That's why I ran all the way from home before they closed.” Elias pointed east. “I work a few blocks from here so I always make sure to come before they shut their doors. Some nights? I fail. Those are the worst.” “I don’t come every day, but when I can…I do.” Terry returned with a way too kind and obvious smile. Elias gritted his teeth as the woman caught on that Terry felt sorry for her. Before he could think of a way to stop her, she ducked her face, grabbed the latte, thanked Elias under her breath, and took off for the door. Watching her maneuver past the line, he set a ten on the counter. “What do you think happened to her, Elias?” He picked up his fresh double shot and said in a booming voice with an easy laugh, “She plays softball. Her team sucks. Took one to the noggin the other day and called me about it all whiney. She’s just embarrassed.” The woman looked back a
Thalia grinned and nodded, biting her bottom lip. Donald opened the door for them. “Allow me.” Darius gave him a look that said everything about how he felt, that his best friend was finally on board for his happiness. “Thank you.” He received a small chin dip in response. As the group filed in, another couple was leaving, big smiles on their faces, too. Darius watched them go. Elias stepped around to practically attack the County Clerk. “Hey! We’re back!” The man’s eyebrows shot up as his eyes darted around the approaching faces. He lit up with recognition. “Ah yes! How could I forget?” A big smile spread. “I was wondering if we’d see you again,” the female employee said. She served as witness and recorded the events as well. She flushed as Elias remarked on her new hairstyle. Then he turned around and grabbed his wife. “Look baby. We left an impression. They remember us.” Daniel snorted and entwined his fingers with Alessandra’s. “Could have been us who left t
Daniel smiled. “I knew what you were going through. Remember?” Darius nodded. “That’s what’s been on my mind. I’m sorry we weren’t there to help you.” Daniel shrugged and glanced around his friend’s faces. “There was no choice.” “Yeah. Now I understand.” Darius took a sip of Guinness. “I want to go see her.” “Well, let’s at least finish our beers first.” Elias clinked his bottle of Bass Ale against Darius’s pint. “Remember just days ago how you were complaining we never spend any time together?” Darius laughed and a huge weight lifted. “You’ve got a gift, Elias.” “Thank God I’ve got one,” Elias said, dryly. So they stayed for another two hours, like the old days. Daniel yanked out his phone and called his driver. “Nigel, buddy. We’re hammered. Come get us.” They climbed out of the dark booth and headed for the door. Elias and Daniel led the way, Donald behind. “Hey, D. I idolize you, just so you know.” Donald cocked an eyebrow sideways. “Is that right?”
Three very different guffaws trailed off as the others left the room, talking amongst themselves about how strange that had been for them. The last one she heard was Elias. “So, Donald, you’re saving it for a special woman, huh?” and Donald’s reply: “Fuck off.” Darius loosened his embrace but kept her close. She looked up at him as he gazed down at her. “You said you love me.” She flushed. “I was having a moment.” “A moment?” “Yeah.” A small frown pierced his brow and he lifted her off the ground, kissing her deeply. Every cell in her responded to him, and then he moaned against her lips, “I love you, too.” Soundless tears trailed her cheeks before she even realized how much emotion had been waiting under the surface. All her life she’d wanted to meet the guy and here he was. Finally. He kissed some away, picked her up and carried her to the couch. “We have to talk business now.” She nodded and picked up the blanket to wrap around her waist so she could hike up
He dropped the hand and turned back to his friends and packmates. They were speechless, too, their moment of entertainment usurped by the bold pronouncement. They’d seen it coming, but that he’d said it aloud, outright and so soon, shocked them all. Maybe even him a little, too. There would be no stupid debate. Not anymore. He’d heard enough arguments from Donald. What good were they? Not only had he dreamed of saving her life before it actually happened, thereby telling him she was a part of his destiny, but today his wolf had taken control for two reasons: how he felt about her, and also because there was another wolf inside the ‘den’ when she arrived—Donald. The beast inside Darius’s soul who knows what is best for him more often than he knows, took her immediately to mark her as his. She’d gotten her instinct right about his bite. His wolf needed to ensure there was never any question as to whose mate she was. That she’d accepted him so readily affirmed she felt the same. Who has
Thalia had been climbing out of her skin. Underneath everything she’d done was the nagging desire to check up on him. She hadn’t mentioned the robbery to Jonas. The air of secrecy among Darius and his friends combined with her aiding the hero of the day in his odd escape, made her keep her mouth very, very shut. How would she explain to police what had happened, if they ever questioned her? The fewer people who knew about what happened the better. And Jonas wasn’t exactly the quiet type. Nor were his friends. They lived big, and a story like this? Too hot to keep mum about. She was loath to admit that she didn’t just want to check up on his well being, she wanted to be around him again. She missed the connection she’d experienced when they were alone in the ally. She’d replayed those intimate moments with him over and over despite her desperate desire to let it go. She hesitated with her fist in the air and ready to knock. Her heart slammed in her chest. She didn’t even know if
Fuck it. She leaned in and softly kissed him. His lips parted in surprise as she pulled away. She whispered in his ear, just for him, “Thank you for saving my life.” “Thank you for trusting me.” She arose and headed for Elias who was by the door. She didn’t need him to tell her, “I’ll take you home.” She nodded and it struck her that he seemed like a statue. She glanced back to Daniel, then grazed a glance over Donald’s solemn countenance. They suddenly seemed… inhuman. “It was nice to meet you.” They nodded and murmured the same. Rihanna and Alessandra looked the most uncomfortable. Don’t make me go home. Let me stay here and take care of him. Let me tell him I’m here for him. I’m here. I’m here… Makati City sparkled outside the limo’s window as they drove west to her small apartment, flashes of blurred color zipping by. She couldn’t see any of it. Her mind was on him. “You’re awfully quiet,” Elias said after they’d been silent for a long time. She glanced ov
Donald sighed and said with more control, “We don’t do the stuff.” Drugs have a different reaction on werewolves than humans. But he couldn’t explain that. At her confusion, Daniel interjected with authority, “It’s not ego. We don’t take pain meds. Just accept it.” Darius watched Thalia glance around his packmates’ faces. He couldn’t blame her for not understanding. How would he feel if he were on the other side of this? She tightened her jaw and shrugged with defeat. “Fine. If you’ve done this before, I’m sure you have twelve inch long tweezers?” “I’ve got better than that.” Donald returned a moment later with a kit that made Thalia pause, full of surgical tools, gauze, Aloe Vera gel, and wood clamps to bite down on. They even had teeth marks in them. “I’m not even going to ask,” she muttered, choosing a very slender metal piece that looked to be an advanced type of tweezer. “You ready?” “Over my dead body you’re doing the removal,” Donald growled. Darius grabb
Fear-charged shouts came from the woman and the boy, begging to know if he was okay. The woman yelled to the man behind the register, “Call the police!” “I’m calling an ambulance!” He shouted back. “No!” the wounded man groaned, speaking only to Thalia as if he needed her to understand. “Don’t let him,” he whispered, leaning down to her ear. She pressed her hand over his, adding more pressure to stop the bleeding. “We have to get you to a hospital.” “No,” he whispered, closing blue eyes against the pain. He bent at the knees, and she caught him. Years of working with patients had prepared her for his collapsed. “I’m a nurse. I know what I’m talking about.” “Then get me out of here,” he whispered in her ear, again so low nobody else could have heard. She stared into the future and the immediate past, making a decision. He’d saved her life. She owed him. He seemed desperate not to go. Praying she was doing the right thing, she called out to the others, “Don’t call
The buzzer from Room 321 had been quiet for a long time. Too long. With her eyes on the room, Thalia rose from the desk and headed to check on Dorothy. Janet called over, “Is that old bitty at it again?” “Why don’t you crawl back under the house,” Thalia shot back. Lacking a witty enough response, Janet just sneered. As she walked into the room, Thalia’s heart exploded. Paler than a sheet of paper, Dorothy stared lifeless into the distance. Thalia pulled back the hospital gown and started pounding on Dorothy’s frail chest, screaming loud enough the entire third floor could hear, “JANET! GET A DOCTOR! CODE BLUE! CODE BLUE!” Her eyes darted to the monitor. It was off, the plug lying on the floor. “Come on Dorothy! Don’t you die on me!” Thalia leaned down to blow into quiet lungs as Janet ran in with a defibrillator machine. Bitch or no bitch, when shit hit the fan, Janet was ready. She charged the machine while Thalia pounded an artificial heartbeat into Doris’s chest, pe