Fated (Dragon Shifter Book 1) Page 2

  "I'd appreciate that. Name's Lex. And it's a pleasure to meet you."

  I'd expected conversation between us, two complete strangers, to be forced and awkward, but after a few moments, it flows easily as Hannah tells me about the town, asks me questions about where I'd been and where I’m going. One thing I notice though, she steers the conversation away from herself.

  Oh, she'll give me some basic details, but nothing with any substance. She’s guarded, on edge, about her personal life. But then, she'd only met me tonight, so I don't expect her to spill her life's story to me right off the bat. You don't live to be my age without learning patience though, and eventually, I figured she’ll open up to me.

  When a man calls for her from across the bar, Hannah frowns as she stands up. "Sorry, but it looks like work isn't over quite yet. You gonna stick around?"

  "For now," I say with a sad smile. I'd been enjoying our conversation and don't want it to end. The night is growing late, and I should head to the motel to get some shuteye, but something still won't let me leave. It’s like a magnet, drawing and keeping me here.

  Hannah smiles at me before slipping back off behind the bar. I watch her go, the way she walks making my heart pound faster and faster. She is definitely an interesting girl. One I'd like to keep my eye on.

  2

  Hannah

  After stepping into the back room and closing the door behind me, I slump against the back wall, massaging my temples. My head is pounding, but it’s not the usual earth-shattering migraine I'm used to. Instead, it’s like a constant thumping, almost like a heartbeat. But, it’s not quite a normal heartbeat either.

  Instead of being a simple lub-dub, it’s more like lub-dub-dub-lub-dub.

  It doesn't leave me incapacitated. A normal headache would have me praying it’ll be over soon. But this one seems to fill me with energy, like I'd just done a few shots of espresso. Being out in the bar around Lex seems to give me some kind of contact high.

  It isn't completely out of the ordinary for a guy to flirt with me. It’s part of the job. Drunk guys like to flirt.

  And yet, with Lex, it feels completely different. He isn't drunk, at least not that I can tell. He'd barely touched any of the beers I'd brought him, at least after the first couple. And his lingering gaze and flirtatious words didn't come across as creepy or pushy or anything. It’s weird, to be so attracted to a guy I just met, who I barely know anything about.

  I need some fresh air to clear my head.

  My boss, Gabe, is closing up and will need some help soon, but I won't be much help until I get my head on straight again. I push off the wall and make a beeline for the backdoor. I don't have much time before Gabe comes looking for me.

  The small back parking lot is dark, the moonlight hidden behind the building next door. The slight breeze makes me shiver, my arms prickle with gooseflesh. If I hadn't been working here for years, this alley probably would creep me the hell out, but after all this time, I've gotten used to it. And, thankfully, the trash was picked up this morning, so it doesn't smell like rancid dumpster either.

  Darkness, quiet, and fresh air are just what I need to get myself back together. I lean against the hard brick wall, taking slow deep breaths.

  As I stand there, Lex fills my mind again. It's been a long time since I've been attracted to someone the way I am with Lex. Part of me wants to act on it, wants to just give in to my desires and see where things go. Granted, he’s only passing through town so it'd just be a one night thing, but would that really hurt?

  With a guy like Lex, one night could be more fun than I'll get for the rest of the year. One night of fun just might be worth hooking up with a random man I've just met.

  Focusing on my breathing, I try to open myself up, to see if I can get a vision, something to tell me what to do. They come sporadically, usually when I don't want them, but every once in a while, if I focus, I can make it happen. If I can get one, at the very least, I'll have some kind of idea of what to do.

  But nothing comes to me. I am left with a throbbing head just standing there in the darkness.

  I'll have to rely on my instincts this time, it seems. Those instincts seem to be screaming to go back inside, to go back to where Lex is sitting, and tell him I’m interested. Assuming he’s still there, that is. With Gabe closing the place down for the night, there’s a good chance he'd have headed out already.

  I push off the wall and square my shoulders. My head isn't pounding so much now that I've made my decision. Now I just hope he’s still in there. And that closing up with Gabe doesn't take forever. With any luck, I'll be in bed with one of the hottest men I've ever laid eyes on.

  Just as I reach for the door, a spotlight suddenly ignites from the side window of a car parked in a dark corner of the lot and shines on me. The car’s door opens and then slams, making me flinch. The sound probably wasn't actually all that loud, but in the quiet back lot, it seems to echo for miles. Once my heart stops trying to beat its way out of my chest, I turn to see a shadowy figure walking towards me.

  It takes my eyes a few seconds to adjust before I realize it’s Tom Brody, the county sheriff. I suppress a groan and frown at him. I bite back a scathing comment about the extra work he'd just made for me as he knocks over a trashcan in the alley.

  "What are you doing out here, Tom?" I ask, trying to remain calm. Tom may give me the creeps every time I see him, but he is still the county sheriff.

  His lips curve up into a smile as his eyes rake up and down my body. It makes me shiver, and I have to fight back the instinct to slip back inside and slam the door shut on his face.

  "Just keepin' an eye on ya," he says, trying to sound way more suave than he actually does. "It's not exactly safe for you to be out here all alone at night. Never know who might wander around back here."

  "Well, it looks like you're the only one out here right now." I try to make it sound innocent, but I can't quite keep the snark out of my voice. I was doing just fine by myself until he showed up.

  Tom reaches out as if to touch me and I step back, glaring at him. Just the thought of letting him touch me is enough to make me sick. More than anything, I want to just get back into the bar where at least Gabe would still be. Out here, alone with Tom, is the absolutely last place I want to be.

  "What's wrong?" he asks, his eyes locked onto me. His gaze seems to peer right through me, making me shudder again.

  "I... uh... should get back to work, you know? Gabe's probably looking for me." It’s a lie. Gabe won't come looking for me unless he’s finished closing up and ready to lock the doors. But I’m not about to tell him that.

  "Well, maybe if you hadn't spent all night flirting with that brute who rolled in on the motorcycle, you'd be finished by now." Tom's words stung, though I shouldn't let them bother me as much as they do.

  What’s worse though is the implication he knows what I've been doing all evening. He hadn't been in the bar, I'd certainly have noticed that. Which meant he's been watching me from somewhere else. My stomach revolts, and I have to squeeze my eyes shut just to keep from emptying its contents all over the ground.

  I take another step back, wanting to put as much distance between him and I as possible. "Have you been watching me or something?" I had to ask, had to know, no matter how much I don't want to hear his answer.

  Tom smirks at me, making my skin crawl again. God, can he get any creepier? "Of course. I've gotta keep an eye on my girl."

  I shudder, fighting back my disgust. "I.... I need to get back to work."

  I try to slip around him, but he pushes me against the wall. My heart pounds as I stare up at him, my entire body shaking. "Don't be like that. Gabe won't mind if I keep you out here a bit longer. After all, we've only just begun."

  "I... I really should..." My stomach churns, and I clamp my mouth shut, fighting the urge to puke. The pounding in my head is back, louder and stronger than before. I need to get out of here, to go anywhere where Tom isn't.

  His arms are
still on either side of me, trapping me between himself and the hard brick. With a quick glance toward the exit, I duck under his arms and head for the doors again. Before I can get there though, he grabs my wrist and yanks me backward, slamming me against the wall again. This time, my head painfully collides with the bricks.

  My knees buckle. As I sway on my feet, the world blurs, making me blink to try to clear everything up. When I open my eyes again, Tom is right in front of me. He's leering down at me, images of him forcing himself upon me flashing through my mind, making me squeeze my eyes shut again. I hope those are just my overactive imagination and not visions of the future.

  “Whatcha acting like that for? C’mon girl, I just want to talk to you for a minute,” Tom insists. He’s so close. The strong scent of liquor is on his breath. He reaches up to play with the pink ribbon in my hair.

  Taking deep breaths, I square my shoulders, preparing to fight him off. I may not win, but there is no way I’m going down without a fight. I open my eyes and lock gazes with Tom, silently daring him to make a move. For a moment, it seems like my vision is still fucked up as a black shape appears behind him.

  A growl echoes around the back lot. Before Tom reacts to it, he’s flung backward and through the air, slamming against the front of his car and slumping down onto the ground, clearly unconscious. Heart still pounding, I look up into Lex's eyes and have the urge to jump into his arms and thank him for saving me.

  He stands looming over Tom, then looks down and glares at the man. It’s then that I realize the constant, low growl is coming from him. "This man needs to be punished," he says at last, glancing over at me for the briefest moment.

  I stare wide-eyed at him, not sure what to do. For a moment, it looks like he’s changing, his muscles bulging even larger, his skin rippling. The strange tattoos on his arms seem to move. But when I blink a few times, the sight is gone, and he stands there, looking the same as he had earlier. I must’ve hit my head harder than I'd thought. "No, you need to get out of here before he wakes up. It's not gonna do either of us any good for you to do anything else."

  "How else will he learn the proper way to treat a woman?" Lex asks, still frowning at the crumpled man at his feet. "Men like him, they don't learn lessons easily. They need to be drilled into them." His hands ball into fists, and I know exactly how Lex meant to teach Tom some manners.

  But I shake my head, no matter how tempting it is to let him beat Tom to a pulp. No matter how annoying or creepy he is, he’s still law enforcement. Assaulting him won't do either of us any good. Rather, it’ll just mean every cop in the county will hassle the both of us.

  "Just head out. I'll take care of it from here, okay?" Lex still looks uncertain, but he backs away from Tom at least. I reach out and take his hands in mine. "I really appreciate your help. I'm not sure what I'd have done if you hadn't come along."

  Lex nods, squeezing my hands slightly. "Just watch your back around him, okay?"

  "I always do."

  Lex nods again, then heads back down and around the corner, toward the street. I watch him go, part of me wishing he'd stayed with me. But I know it would just lead to trouble if he’s here once Tom comes around again. As it is, I'm going to have to think quick to keep Tom from asking too many questions about what just went down.

  It takes a couple moments before Tom starts stirring, giving me a bit of time to think. I shift from foot to foot as I watch him sit up, trying to look more concerned than nervous.

  "Are you okay?" I ask, still keeping my distance. I don't want a repeat of earlier. With sending Lex off, I may not be so lucky the next time.

  Tom looks up at me and blinks. His lips curve into a frown as he surveys his surroundings. "Where am I?"

  "Outside Gabe's," I say, taking another step toward the door. Only a bit farther and I can slip inside even if he tries to trap me here again. "You were passing by and wanted to say hello. Then you got light-headed and kind of passed out. I was getting ready to call for an ambulance."

  Tom stares at me with a blank expression on his face. For a long moment, I think he's seen right through my lies, is about to call me out on it, call in backup to track down Lex. But instead, he just stands up and starts dusting himself off, still frowning. Clearly, he doesn't quite believe my story, but for some reason, he's not interrogating me about it either.

  "If you're okay, I uh, I should get back inside, you know? Gabe's gonna wonder what's taking me so long out here." Before he can say anything, I yank the rear door open and slip inside before slamming it shut behind me and flipping the locks.

  It’s not until the last one is secure that I lean against the door and allow myself to breathe.

  I slump down onto the floor, pulling my knees up against my chest. I know Gabe really will come looking for me at some point, but right now, I don't care. Everything that had just happened slams into me, knocking the air from my lungs, making my entire body shake.

  Tom has always been a creep, but what he'd just done out there.... I shudder at the thought of what might've happened if Lex hadn't intervened. How much longer will I be able to fight off his advances now? Will he force himself on me again, once Lex is out of the picture?

  Now, a night with Lex isn't at the top of my list, as much as I appreciate him helping. I just want to go home, shower, and crawl into my bed and wish I lived anywhere but this stupid town. But, even now, I can’t bring myself to leave because of those stupid visions. They all show me here, like I’m meant to be here for something.

  … which would be great if I had any idea what that something was supposed to be. Then, maybe, I wouldn't dread every single day.

  Taking a deep breath, I pull myself together, standing up and squaring my shoulders again. I can't let Tom get to me, can't let him control my life. I still have a job to do, and damn it, I will get it done.

  Then I’ll go home, lock the doors, and pretend the outside world doesn't exist.

  3

  Lex

  Despite Hannah trying to shoo me away, insisting she could handle everything on her own, I can't just leave her there with that man. For all I know, he'll try to assault her again the moment he wakes up. It doesn't matter that he’s the sheriff. He’s a creep and I don't trust him for a moment alone with her.

  So, I walk away until I’m just out of her sight, then summon power from inside me. A tingle goes through my body, like water cascading over my skin, as I blend into the surroundings, disappearing from sight. I lean against the brick wall at the end of the alley, keeping an eye on the two of them from afar.

  Even without my camouflage, they wouldn't have been able to see me at this distance in the low light, but I can see and hear both of them clearly. If that vile man decides to force himself on her again, I’ll be there, and this time, he won't get out of it with just a bump on the head.

  I watch her encounter with him, muscles tensed the entire time. It’s not until she slips back into the bar, closing the door behind her, that I’m able to relax. When I hear the telltale clicks of the locks sliding into place, I release a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. She’s safe inside, for now.

  Tom stands down there, staring at the door for a while. At first, I think he might try to open it and go after her, but he doesn't. He just stands there staring at the closed door like he can't figure out what to do with it. Finally, he shakes his head and staggers back down the alleyway toward me.

  As he walked by, his scent fills the area, making my nostrils flare and my skin crawl. There's something wrong with his scent. I try to figure out what made it smell off, but I can't quite figure out what it is. It's familiar and unpleasant, enough to make me want to back away. I hadn't noticed it earlier with the adrenaline pumping.

  Now, more than ever, I want to put him in his place. I've been in many fights and battles over the years, seen the absolute worst humanity had to offer. That scent meant there's something wrong with him, something that will only lead to trouble. Whatever is up with him, it won't be good
for Hannah. But I don't want to make waves for her either. This is her life, and she deserves a say in it.

  But I’m not willing to risk something happening to her, either. I'll watch her for now, make sure nothing bad happens, I decide. There’s no harm in that, right?

  The slamming of a car door jars me out of my thoughts. I watch as Tom turns on his car, then drives off down the road without so much as a glance behind him. Which is just fine by me. At least for tonight, he won't be bothering her again.

  Still though, I can't just leave her alone. There’s a chance he'll come back when she gets off work for the night, harass her some more. I wouldn’t be surprised if he knows exactly what time the bar closes for the night. And if he remembers anything about what had happened, he won't be happy with her.

  So I move out of the alleyway and across the street to where I can keep an eye on the bar as well as the road. If Tom comes back, I want to know it immediately, not at the last moment. If he is dumb enough to come back, then I’m going to make damn sure to intercept him before he comes anywhere close to Hannah.

  I can see her through the illuminated windows, bustling around the bar as she helped clean things up. If what happened with Tom had affected her, she’s doing a damned good job of not showing it. She’s definitely one tough woman, no doubt about that. Still though, I’m glad Gabe is in there with her. I doubt even Tom is stupid enough to try something while he’s in there, which is why he'd waited until she'd been alone in the alley.

  It's nearly an hour later before the lights go off inside the bar and Gabe and Hannah both walk out the front door, Gabe locking it behind them. Hannah waves to Gabe as she walks through the nearly empty parking lot, unaware of me watching. The only things in the lot now are my bike and what I presume to be Gabe's car, which is confirmed when he slips into it alone, leaving Hannah to walk home.

  I frown at her being out this late, all by herself.