CHAPTER ONE
Valley Joy was the kind of sleepy town that didn’t really bring much excitement about, considering its main hobbies involved the following: too little population where everyone knew everyone, gossiping between neighbors being a common thing, and no fun places to go to at night.
Erik O’Riley wasn’t a fan of the first, because he couldn’t be as invisible as he wanted to be. Cities and crowds were much better for the likes of him, where he could move without too much detection.
He didn’t really like the second, because what if one of the neighbors found out his true nature by accident? It would be all over town in less than a day, and they’d probably hold pitchforks while demanding to burn him at the stake.
He definitely wasn’t a fan of the last because…well, where were you supposed to drink and pick up women willing to heat up the sheets with you?
But Erik had a job to do—and unfortunately, that job included going to Valley Joy.
It was late afternoon by the time he arrived in town, and he headed straight to the police station and looked for the town sheriff right off. Erik waited in the station’s tiny waiting room, trying to ignore the young blonde secretary gawking at him. He’d give it five hours, tops. He was pretty sure his appearance would be described a couple times over as gossip was passed around regarding the new neighbor.
Ten minutes later, he was ushered into the sheriff’s room and finally met the man.
John Malone was as robust as the day Erik had met him ten years ago in the city—but the man looked somewhat happier now, he had lost that sour expression he wore all the time. They exchanged pleasantries for a bit, with Erik politely asking about John’s family and kids. He didn’t miss the way the sheriff’s face lit up when he answered.
Then John got right down to business. Without preamble, he pulled out a folder and slid it on the desk towards Erik, who picked it up without a word and began reading. There were pictures along with the files of victims and the nature in which they died—each eerily similar, each more violent than the last.
John didn’t interrupt, waiting patiently and as still as a cat. It gave away his true nature, though no ordinary man would have figured it out.
When Erik was done, he looked John in the eye.
“So these happened in other towns?”
John nodded. “Neighboring towns. Started further away near the border and steadily drew closer. The last few victims were in the town nearest to ours, a week ago. Then it stopped.”
“Hmm. Did someone warn you? Gave you these reports?”
“The sheriff in the neighboring town did. We all look out for each other.”
Erik looked at the file again, his attention riveted on the bite marks of whatever was left of the victims. They were a combination of violet and black, with yellowish bubbles forming at the sides. Odd.
“Any clues as to what we’re after here?”
John shook his head. “It’s not a shifter. I can’t identify the marks.”
“Doesn’t look vampire, either,” Erik murmured.
“No. Can you stop this from happening in Valley Joy?”
“I’m the man for the job.”
“Great,” John said with a sigh. “I could help, but I want to keep up my human appearances and not disappear when we get victims. I need to reassure the townspeople with my presence.”
Erik nodded, opting not to say that a cat shifter wouldn’t be much help, anyway—not when the victims were torn apart like this. John went on to explain that the attackers didn’t stay in the same town for too long—either they got tired of staying in once place easily, or just didn’t want to draw too much attention.
When they were done discussing, they both stood up and shook hands.
“I’ll take care of this problem for you, Sheriff.”
That was, after all, what he came here for. Shifters like his kind were meant to protect—with the right incentive and motive.
“Great. Let me show you where you’ll live in the meantime. There is plenty of food and honey in stock.”
Wonderful. A sheriff after Erik’s heart.
The sheriff led the way out of his office. With one last glance at the folder, Erik followed.
*****
He hadn’t been lounging in his new house—a one-story suburban style place with a bedroom and the basic appliances needed—for more than an hour when he saw lights turn on at the house next door, and voices carrying through. He was standing in the kitchen, eating a juicy steak and contemplating dessert when his sensitive ears picked up the male and female tones.
Quietly, Erik moved towards the living room, not turning any of his own lights on. Through the window, he saw the man—an affable looking fellow who seemed to be trying his hardest to make the woman laugh. Erik noted that his tone was verging on desperate, and wondered how long until the woman cracked.
Erik couldn’t see the woman with the way the porch arch was blocking her from sight, but it was obvious from her tone that she was being painfully polite…and putting him in the friend zone. Erik couldn’t help his grin when the persistent date finally got the picture as she didn’t invite him inside for coffee and practically slammed the door in his face.
“Call me when you can!” the man shouted hopefully before dejectedly shuffling away.
Erik chuckled, then shook his head. He went back to the kitchen to take care of the dishes, the neighbor forgotten as he got lost in his own thoughts. It was too early to shift and scout the area, especially with someone his size—he would need to do that later when everyone was asleep. Valley Joy had lots of forest areas, but it would be best to start securing the houses nearby first before venturing there. In this case, he only had two neighbors in this particularly area, so that was going to be a cinch.
He placed the dishes in the dishwasher, then decided that dessert would be a good idea right now. A light turned on in front of the kitchen window beside his sink. Erik looked up.
He froze.
The polite woman from earlier was now in his field of vision—clearly so. She’d turned on the lights in her kitchen, where a wide window gave him a view of her going to the fridge to pour herself a glass of white wine.
But that wasn’t the only thing she was doing.
Erik watched as the woman drank the wine in one huge gulp, then took out the bottle again and started drinking from there. Two gulps, before she placed it back.
He watched as she began removing her dress, right there in plain view, shimmying it down until he was treated to the sight of creamy skin, a perky butt and a handful of breasts encased in tight, tight underwear. Her hands went to remove her hair from its chignon, and brown hair cascaded down her slender shoulders. He could see her face—not gorgeous, but arresting enough to catch his attention as he took in her long lashes and dark-colored eyes.
Pink lips made for kissing.
Then the woman turned around and bent over to pick up something she’d dropped.
And what had been passing interest for Erik suddenly shifted to full blown desire.
He imagined that ass on his hands, where he molded them as he pressed his front against her back and kissed that soft-looking spot at the nape of her neck. Then he imagined sucking on it before he turned her around to face him and kissed her mouth instead, her soft moan urging him on as he began sliding her underwear off. Then his fingers would be there, slipping inside her. Then his fingers would be replaced by his cock as he thrust inside her wet heat…
The fantasy was so vivid, Erik had to take a physical step back as he felt his blood pound and his erection strain against his pants. Then he reined in his control, telling himself to get a grip. This wasn’t the time to be a horny bastard, not when he had a job to do.
But Jesus, it had been a few months since he’d last slept with a woman.
Still, this was wrong. He shouldn’t be peeping on an innocent woman, because that just made him an asshole.
He glanced through her kitchen once more, and to his relief, she was no longer there. But where were her curtains? Why were her windows all open?
And why the hell was she undressing just for anyone out there to see?
Arousal changed to irritation. Erik shook his head, deciding it was none of his business—for about five minutes.
What if her desperate date came back and did more than look?
Erik growled at the thought. Then he was marching out of his house and striding towards hers before he could even think about it.
Someone needed to be lectured about the importance of safety and not undressing for the world to see.