Chapter Five
Gage has been following Katrina around for weeks now. He’s even broken in and searched her apartment when she wasn’t home. Her dog, Max, is a great dog, but way too friendly. He definitely doesn’t have the temperament for protection, which makes it easy for Gage to spend the time he needs exploring her apartment and going through all of her belongings.
Her apartment is small but comfortable, and she keeps it neatly arranged and organized. Going through her closets, cabinets, drawers, and file cabinet doesn’t give him any new information about why she’s plaguing his nightmares.
As he opens the armoire in her bedroom, he discovers what he could only classify as a shrine to her dead fiancé. Inside is a stack of framed pictures of Katrina and her fiancé, military medals, an American flag in the shape of a triangle, an engagement announcement cut out of the newspaper with a picture of the happy couple. A box of preprinted wedding announcements and a little blue velvet box with an engagement ring inside adorn the top shelf. Next to the ring box sits a funeral prayer card announcing his death.
He closes the armoire doors and sits on her bed. Petting her golden retriever, he realizes the answers he’s seeking cannot be found here. He should go home and just put her out of his mind, but he can’t.
The more he follows her, the more he finds out about her, the closer he feels to her. A feeling he definitely does not like. He can’t afford to have feelings for anyone or anything in his line of work. Getting up off the bed, he leaves the apartment.
Checking his watch, he realizes Katrina is still on stage performing the final show of her ballet, so he waits for her in the shadows outside the stage door. When she finally appears, he follows her to the hotel where the ballet company is holding a party.
Thinking it’s going to be a long night, Gage makes himself as comfortable as possible as he takes up an inconspicuous position across the street. Keeping an eye on all the possible exits, he’s surprised when she emerges early outside the hotel.
Sensing something is wrong, his first instinct is to go to her, but before he can make that stupid move, she takes off running down the street. He cautiously follows. From this angle, he can tell she’s wiping away tears from her eyes. As if someone flipped a switch, he is angry and all he can think about is how he’d like to disembowel whoever it was that made her cry. He blinks in confusion and stops. Where did that come from? A few moments later he begins tailing her again.
When she finally slows down, she stops in front of a street vendor and purchases a bouquet of roses. Curious, he follows her across the street and through the park. Using the shadows for cover, he makes sure to stay far enough behind so she doesn’t notice him.
It’s dusk, yet without hesitation, she continues walking through the gates of the cemetery and the long rows of tombstones until she stops in front of one. Gage ducks behind the massive trunk of a maple tree, staying hidden in the shadows watching her.
Kneeling down, Katrina clears debris from the grave before her and sits beside it. Her hands now visibly shaking, she holds out the bouquet of flowers and places it down on top of the blanket of grass, then runs her fingers over the gravestone.
Fascinated…he watches.
She just sits there, in some sort a daze, totally unaware of her surroundings. Tears run down her cheeks, yet she doesn’t move to wipe them away.
Gage moves in closer.
The longer she sits there, the darker it gets. Gage tries to keep his emotions under control, but he can feel the rage and anger building inside him. How can she sit there in the dark without any concern for her safety? This is New York. Doesn’t she know anyone wanting to do her harm can just walk up behind her and in the state she’s in she won’t even have a chance to defend herself?!
Why does he care? If she cares so little for her own safety, why should he? Shit, he doesn’t even know her. Angry with himself, he makes the decision to stay close and protect her until she regains some sense and leaves this place.
After an hour passes, she shakily stands up, mumbles a few words, then turns to leave. He follows her.
Like a lover, he can sense her emotions and he knows she is still upset. He follows along more closely than he did earlier. She must have sensed him, for she stops and spins around, listening and squinting into the darkness.
Still as a statue, he becomes part of the darkness, there is no way she can see him.
She begins moving again and again, he follows her. Each time she senses his presence, she spins around, ready to attack. Grinning, he blends back into the night.
Gage senses Katrina’s fear and loneliness. The further she walks, the more he wants to soothe her. Without thinking, he walks up behind her, reaching out, ready to touch her. He wants nothing more than to take her in his arms and wipe away her tears. He breathes in her scent and realizes he can smell her fear increasing. She knows he’s there. Without a sound, he quickly retreats, blending into the night.
She spins around, feeling his breath on her neck.
His mind is screaming at him. What the hell are you doing? This goes against all your training. Where are these emotions coming from?
She begins walking again, this time more rapidly. He can tell she’s about to break out in a full out run and his instincts take over as he follows behind at an increased pace. The more she tries to flee from him, the more he wants to chase her down like prey.
His mind is racing, telling him to take her down, possess her, bring her to the ground, climb on top of her, to feel her body beneath his.
Stop! He has to get control of himself. She isn’t a target to bring down. This isn’t an assignment. He doesn’t need to change. He can’t let his blood lust take over. Not now! Not with her!
Too late.
He begins to change. The darkness engulfs him, blending with his form as it becomes less…human. Stripping off his clothes and throwing them aside, he crouches down on all fours. His long black hair starts to spread out across his body, covering every inch of it as his muscles and bones reshape themselves. His hands become claws and his green eyes glow as his face elongates, becoming more ferocious, more feline, and his black coat shimmers in the moonlight.
When his transformation is complete, he is a strong, virile, ebony panther with sharp teeth and claws, and emerald-colored eyes that are focused on Katrina.
While his body is changing, Katrina takes off running and is in front of her building where the doorman is waiting to let her in…before he can act on his instincts.