CHAPTER NINE
He slowly came back to consciousness in small increments. First his hearing returned—he could hear someone moving about in the kitchen. The soft clinking of plates and glasses poked at his brain and forced him to wake more. It took his mind a few moments to catch up with his body. Taking stock of what he could feel, he winced. Every muscle and bone felt like it was on fire. Each small movement sent pain rushing through his already exhaustted body. Breathing in deeply, the scent of cooking food—bacon and eggs—rushed into his nose, making his stomach growl loudly.
A soft giggle beside him had him forcing his eyes open. Blinking back the brightness of the morning he turned his head, his eyes falling on the small human child. She was dressed in a long nightgown that touched her toes, and she sat on a huge chair swinging her legs back and forth while watching him. Frowning, he threw his arm over his eyes and winced—even that action sent lightning through his muscles.
“Annabelle, come away now. Let him rest.” That voice, he almost groaned hearing it. It sank into his body, pushing away the pain and darkness of sleep from his mind.
“Okay, Mommy. He is hungry. His tummy said so.” The voice of the child faded to what he figured was the kitchen. Slowly he moved to sit up, using the couch to lean back.
Looking down at his body he lifted his hands and turned them around a few times, opening and closing his fingers. Hands, he remembered hands, he used hands to what? He felt like a damn child trying to remember the most basic things his body was supposed to do. Looking down at his chest he ran his hand over it, frowning. He was naked. The fact he realized this was a huge step—being naked around women you didn’t know, especially children, was bad.
He looked around the room. Dark wood covered every wall, a large smoldering fireplace was before him, the rounded river rocks glittering in the morning light. To his right was a set of intricately carved wooden stairs that led up to a second level to the cabin. He turned toward the open kitchen and the island where the small child sat on a barstool with a glass of milk and a Pop-Tart in her hands.
His eyes continued moving, falling on the beauty of that woman. Her hair shone as the sun filtered through the kitchen window. She looked like she was on fire, light behind her illuminating her form. Swallowing hard, he felt like someone had punched him in the stomach. She was exquisite. Her eyes lifted from the stove and she smiled.
“You’re awake, that is wonderful. You hungry?”
“Great, we’re feeding it now? You know you will never get rid of it once you feed it, right?” The cynical voice came from his right, and he had to do a double take. For a second his brain was confused seeing two of the same woman, but it only took a moment for him to realize this woman walked differently. Her energy was vastly different from the one that attracted his attention. He breathed in deeply, bringing the scent of the new arrival to his nose.
She was so different it was amazing. How could he for a moment have mistaken them as the same person? While the radiant beauty in the kitchen was vanilla and sweetness, this female was more like citrus and sunshine. It was not an unpleasant scent but it was by no means vanilla.
“Lexi, hush up and come eat, would you? Leave him alone.” The woman he knew as Layla frowned at her twin sister as she curled her lip at him and walked across the room to the breakfast island.
“Protective of him, aren’t you?” Lexi, so that was the twin’s name. She glared at him, grabbing the cup offered to her by her sister. Whatever was in that mug had his stomach growling.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now drink your medicine and be nice.” The evil twin grumbled and drank from her mug. The good sister poured a second cup and walked across the room toward him. His eyes drank her in, every move and sway of her hips had him burning in a totally new way. She moved to kneel before him and offered the coffee.
“Here, I find most men prefer coffee to herbal tea.” He lifted his hand and took the steaming cup, breathing in the bitter scent that made his mouth water.
Putting the cup to his lips he actually groaned as the black liquid rolled over his tongue. Coffee, he remembered coffee. He loved coffee. Mornings could be a deadly time if he didn’t get his coffee. He didn’t care how hot it was, he nearly finished it in three mouthfuls, then hung his head, a small smile on his lips.
“Wow, he really likes coffee, guess he can’t be all bad. If he had wanted herbal tea I would have gotten the shotgun out again.” Evil twin Lexi seemed to have accepted something about him. That was a good step.
He licked his lips and smiled at the female before him, handing the cup back. She chuckled and stood. “Let me get you some more, Wolfman.”
Wolfman? Oh, she was referring to the fact he had been a hound last night, and now was in the form of a man. He watched her move, his eyes falling on her ass—god, that was some ass. He licked his lips, a deep longing burning in his gut. Oh, he knew that feeling, memories with holes notwithstanding. He knew he wanted her in a primal way.
His eyes moved up from her ass to lock on the stormy gaze of the twin. She glared at him, her eyes narrowed and unblinking. She looked like she wanted to cut him into little bits and scatter him for the scavengers. He dropped his gaze but couldn’t stop the smile; part of him was glad the flowery gentle one attracted him.
“Did you find the clothes in the attic?” Layla refilled his mug, the scent reaching his nose. He lifted his gaze, finding Lexi’s stormy eyes still boring into him. Okay, she was going to turn him into stone or some shit in a minute, he just knew it.
“Yep, I had forgotten Mother left all of Dad’s stuff up there. I doubt much is going to fit him; Dad wasn’t a big man. I mean, he is like a walking mountain, I doubt normal clothing would fit him.” Evil Twin sipped her coffee. It was clear to him she didn’t trust him at all. Considering he was still naked under his blanket and lying on her floor, he didn’t blame her.
“Then you will need to go into town and grab him some things.” Layla almost smiled as her sister swung ‘round to turn her stormy gaze on her instead. He had to hide his smile. That got her to break her staring contest with him.
“I am not going to town. He can walk about naked as the day he was born; you can’t make me.”
“Okay, I don’t mind him walking around naked.” Layla smiled and gave him his second steaming cup of coffee. He hid his smile behind the mug, hearing the mumbling of Evil Twin from the kitchen. He couldn’t help it, his mind going right now into the gutter with that one little comment from her innocent mouth. Not so flowery then… promising.
“Mommy, what does harlot mean?” Annabelle innocently turned her gaze from her aunt to her mother, and Layla glared at her sister. Lexi had the good grace to look sheepish as she moved around the counter and kissed the small child’s overly fuzzy hair.
“Don’t you worry about that, baby. Go on, get dressed; we will go to the bakery in town and get cream puffs.” The prospect of cream puffs brought a squeal to the little girl who left her half-eaten Pop-Tart and ran upstairs to get dressed as fast as she could. Lexi finished her coffee and walked past her sister with a huff.
In truth, Layla really should have been the one going to town. She knew how much her sister hated being around people. Too many needed healing, and she felt a draw to heal; the souls of the sick and dying called out to her, attempting to pull the power from her body. While Lexi had been holed up in the house for the last month she needed to mingle with people at some point. Her mother preached to them control, and the only way to control something was to build barriers and shields. Her sister had been severely lacking in those barriers for over a year now.
“I am sorry if I have caused issues,” the low male voice rumbled in the room, and Layla went weak at the knees. God, was that his voice? How was she supposed to not melt into a puddle of happy bliss? She shook her head and cleared her throat with a smile.
“Don’t worry about Lexi, she is a special case. You’re the one I am worried about. Do you remember anything?” She moved to the couch and sat down, looking at the tattoos that curled over his shoulders to his back.
“A few things. I remember I hurt you. I’m sorry for that. It appears I bring trouble.” The man lifted his hands and looked at them again. “It feels… odd. I remember having hands, but I cannot picture anything past knowing I was once a man.”
“I am sure it will come back to you; give it time. Let me get you some food.” She made a move to stand and his hand shot out to her injured one. He held her wrist, gently preventing her from moving. Fire licked up her arm from his touch, and this time it was nothing to do with his fever. Licking her suddenly dry lips she knelt so she could see his magnificent eyes.
“I swear I am fine, Wolfman. Lexi can heal it when she comes back from town. Then we will see about helping you.” Layla could have sworn he shook his head, but her brain was too caught up in the fact his thumb was rubbing back and forth against her wrist, sending little shockwaves deep into her body.
She had to lick her lips again and swallow to try and alleviate the dry throat his touch had caused. The fingers of his free hand lifted and brushed along her jawline, triggering her heart to pick up the pace and her breathing to deepen. This was stupid, he was a stranger—not just a stranger, but one who didn’t even know his own name.
His touch was almost hypnotic, his fingers brushing over her jawline as if he were touching human skin for the first time and was fascinated by the sensation. She knew her body was! Just that touch from him had her whole body tightening, blood rushing in her ears. What was it about this man? How could he have just dropped into her life like this? His eyes fell to her lips and her throat went dry. He wants to kiss me? Would I let him?
“You two want to be alone? I can go explain to your daughter about the birds and the bees so Mommy can get her rocks off with a stranger.”
Layla closed her eyes, and with a shake of her head she stood. “That was unfair. Just get him some clothes.” She turned on her heel. She didn’t want him to see the tears burning in her eyes. But from the glare he gave her sister it was clear he had spotted them. Lexi at least dropped her gaze from his and kicked at the floor like a scolded child.
“Layla, look, I’m…” She didn’t get to finish. Layla lifted her hand to silence her.
“Just go.” Layla turned her back to her sister and busied herself at the stove.
“Mommy, can I go to the toy store? I have my allowance.” Layla sucked in a deep breath, pushing back her hurt from her sister’s words, and turned around with a smile. Her little girl looked a little like a miniature pink Michelin man all bundled up against the cold. Kneeling, she zipped up Annabelle’s coat and smiled, kissing her cheek loudly.
“Of course you can, baby. I am sure Auntie Lexi will help you pick something wonderful.” Lexi had the good sense to keep her mouth shut after her nasty comment earlier.
“I will get the groceries while I am in town. I guess we will need more than usual given our guest?” Lexi grabbed the keys and left the cabin without another word.
Layla turned her daughter around and sent her after her sister. This was going to be awkward, there was no doubt. Lexi’s distrust of people was deep and profound. They were two sides of the same coin—she the open hearted, trusting one that always tried to see the best in people, and her twin, closed and harsh, unless you knew her.
“I am sorry about Lexi, she’s not good with new people.” Turning, she saw the man had moved to standing, the blanket draped around him to hide his naked form.
“It is okay, she deserves her skepticism. I’m not even sure what I am, or who I am, so why should she trust me?”
He was so damn big. Standing before the fireplace he dwarfed the handmade feature. Shaking herself mentally to stop ogling the injured male she pulled the pan from the stove and piled the eggs on top of some toast before sliding the plate onto the counter.
“Here, eat. I will grab you some clothes. I don’t think much will fit you, but it is better than walking around naked all day.” Well, for my libido it is smarter anyway. Phew.
He walked to the counter and slid into the chair. With a groan, he dug into his meal with gusto. Layla left him to eat as she retreated upstairs to get him something to wear—hell, just to give herself a breather from his presence. He was the flame and she felt like the damn moth; if she got too close she would burn up.
“Annabelle, don’t run off!” Lexi called after her niece as she stepped onto the sidewalk of Stillwater’s main street. It was such a rare thing coming to town that when they did Annabelle would always get overly excited.
“Annabelle! Damn it!” Lexi chased after her, catching up to the little terror whose face was pressed against the glass front of the bakery.
“Don’t run off. You know your mother would lose her mind if anything bad happened to you. Come on, let’s get our shopping done, and then we can get treats.”
“For Wolfie, too?” Her ice colored eyes begged.
“Oh, don’t give me the face. I don’t know what you and your mother see in that man-beast-thing.”
“He is not a thing, he is Wolfie, and Mommy likes him. Why don’t you like him, Auntie Lexi?” The innocence that shone in her eyes made Lexi’s heart clench.
“Oh, sweetie, it is not as simple as that. Your mother has a thing for lost souls, animal and human alike. Just like you. It is a wonderful gift to have.” She stroked her niece’s hair and took her hand, leading her across the street.
“He is a nice wolf, Auntie Lexi, you will see it soon.” She skipped alongside her aunt until they reached the other sidewalk, and then she pulled away, running into the store.
“Belle!” It was like wrangling a cat with her niece.
“Well, well, if it isn’t our resident recluse. Miss Lexi, good to see you.” Lexi turned to face the store keeper as he placed a box on the counter.
“Yep, Ira, finally came out of my cave. You know me, always busy. I go where the animals are.” Ira Kane was one of the few people in town she liked—a nice old man who ran the grocery store and the hardware store, while his wife ran the bakery. He was also the one who had suggested she sell her photographs online. He had made himself a pretty penny helping her sell the photos in his store. Lexi hated to admit it, but without this short, balding old man she would be a financial burden to her sister. At least now she felt like she was giving something back, considering she was about as good a cook as she was a social butterfly. The money her photography brought in seemed like the better payment.
“Got some new pictures for me soon? I sold that collection of four with the mountain lion and her cubs. The money should be in your account by the weekend. Beautiful work, Miss Lexi, as always.” The old man pulled a glass lid from a jar of licorice and handed one to Annabelle as she skipped past.
“Thanks, Ira. I have some prints working. With Christmas coming I have some special pieces planned.” No one would ever know the mythical photos she took were actually real animals.
“That’s right, how the year flew by. Better get the Christmas decorations out, I suppose. Get what you need, Miss Lexi, and pop over to Mamma’s. I know she misses seeing this little beauty. Oh, when will she be starting school? This coming year? I know she is behind a year.”
“That’s up to her mother, but I don’t see why not.”
“Your sister is very protective of that beauty. I can’t blame her—terrible thing Richard did leaving her behind like that. That boy was always a troublemaker, but I never expected him to abandon a young woman expecting his child. Terrible of him.”
“Pah, we don’t need him. We have each other, and Butterbean, and that is all we need.” She smiled as Annabelle lifted her choice of toy onto the counter. Ira took it, turning the plush wolf toy over in his hands.
“There is the big girl; you’re paying for this all yourself, I see. That is wonderful.” She, of course, did not have enough money for the giant twenty-dollar stuffed toy, but Ira just took the seven bucks she offered and gave her a receipt. “He is all yours. You take good care of him.”
“I will! Look, Auntie Lexi, he is just like Wolfie.” She hugged the huge plush wolf to her chest. Ira frowned, looking at Lexi.
“She is referring to the pack of wolves on the mountain. I got a few good pictures last week of them. She loves wolves.” He nodded and smiled, watching the girl head out the door clutching her new toy.
“She is an angel, that one, always makes you feel better just seeing her smile.” Yeah, she knew how Ira felt. For all her worry over this man/wolf thing in her home, if her niece trusted him, then there must be something special about him.