Her heart hammered in her chest as goosebumps rose on her arms. Swallowing hard, she glanced around. It was like there were eyes on her, watching her, but there was no one else here. But for some reason, her instincts were telling her to run.
Spinning on her heel, she made a mad dash toward Main Street. But something solid blocked her way and a pair of hands grabbed at her arms.
She screamed. “Get away from me!” Panic tightened her chest, and her muscles locked up. Oh God, she’d been too complacent. Let her guard down because Blackstone felt like a sleepy little town where nothing happened. And now she was in danger. Tears prickled at her eyes.
“Stop. Stop! Anna Victoria, it’s me.”
That voice …
A dizzy spell threatened to overwhelm her and her knees went weak.
“Breathe. C’mon, sweetheart, breathe for me.”
And she did. Opened her mouth and took in a big gulp. And then another. And one more until she felt somewhat normal again. “I … Damon?” Was she hallucinating? No, she wasn’t. It really was him. Joy and relief sparked in her chest as the tightness ebbed away. “What are you doing here?”
“Are you all right?” His mouth pulled back in a tight line. “You’re shaking. Are you crying? What’s the matter? What scared you?”
“It’s … it’s nothing. I—” Oh. His arms wound around her and pulled her to his chest. Damon’s body heat permeated through her coat and her clothes, and an odd, calming sensation ran through her. Memories of last week’s kiss came rushing back in her mind, but she didn’t mind. Not when she felt safe.
“I saw you running; you looked like you’d seen a ghost,” he murmured into her hair. “What happened?”
“I’m fine … just scared myself, walking in dark parking lots. Uh, Damon?”
“Hmm?”
“Er, do you mind?” She wiggled around. “I can’t breathe.” His grip had tightened and her nose was pressed against his chest.
He quickly let go of her. “Oh. Right. Sorry.”
An awkward pause stretched between them. “What are you doing here? I mean—you know, what? Never mind.” She rubbed her arms. “It’s a public event. Of course you’re here.” What did she mean by asking him that, anyway? Everyone was here after all, but she didn’t really expect to run into him.
“Anna Victoria—”
“It’s okay.” Her hands went up defensively. “We don’t have to do this, not when we’re in public and both obviously on our personal time. I know I’m such a nuisance, and you don’t want me around so—”
“You’re not. And … and I don’t.”
She frowned. “Don’t what?”
“You’re not a nuisance. And I want you around.”
She huffed. “You certainly have a funny way of showing it. Listen, you don’t have to pretend. A-and maybe I’ll be out of your hair soon. End of the month. Next month, tops.”
His body went all stiff. “What do you mean?”
“I found something else,” she said. “Not right away, but I’ll be fine. I mean, it’s already been two weeks, and I got my paycheck and HR didn’t say anything about renewing, so I figured you didn’t want me—”
“It’s not that. I—” He took a step toward her and then paused. “I want you, Anna Victoria.”
“I told you, you don’t have to pretend—”
“I said, I want you.” His tone had a low, gravelly quality that made a delicious shiver run down her spine. “I’ve wanted you the first moment I saw you. I can’t stop thinking about that kiss.”
Her jaw dropped open. “But you … you walked away.”
“I know.”
“And you said … you said I ruined your life. You told me to go away.”
He took in a sharp breath. “No! I mean, it wasn’t you I was talking to.”
“Huh? It was just you and me there.”
“Yes but …” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I was … I was talking to my animal. My bear.”
“Your … bear?”
“I don’t know where to begin. But know this, Anna Victoria. I want you. Don’t ever think I don’t.” He looked her straight on, his green eyes ablaze. “How can I not? You’re my mate, and I won’t ever want anyone else but you.”
“I’m your what?”
“Er, I wasn’t going to lead with that, but …” He rubbed the back of his head. “You don’t know much about shifters, do you?”
She shook her head. “Almost nothing.”
“We … our animals recognize their mates right away. When I saw you at The Den, it immediately told me. You’re mine. My mate.”
“Like … soul mates?” Was he serious?
“Something like that. No one can really explain it … it just is. You just know. “
“But I’m not a shifter.”
“It doesn’t matter. Lots of shifters have human mates. But I don’t know what it’s like for you. You probably don’t feel the pull as much as I do, since you don’t have an animal inside you that tells you.”
Her knees felt weak, and she was lightheaded again. Mates? How was it possible? “Surely there’s a mistake.”
“No, there’s no mistake. You’re the one.”
The expression on his face told her he was dead serious. “But you … you’ve been avoiding me. Acting like a jerk around me.”
He looked at her sheepishly. “And I’m sorry. It hurt me more to do that, but I was fighting it. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“H-hurt me?”
He took a long, deep breath. “My animal … it’s not normal. I’m … it’s … I call it The Demon. Because it’s out of control. And I’ve … hurt someone before.”
Fear made her take a step back. She should run away, right now. But there was a part of her that wanted to know everything. “Tell me. Tell me what happened.”
“I …” His face turned blank, and there was a hollow look in his eyes. “My last mission. Kargan, the largest city in Durusha, an independent nation between the border of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. We were supposed to be a peacekeeping force, made up of shifter and human soldiers. I was the commanding officer. It was Sunday. Market day.” He swallowed hard.
