Shifter Magick (18 page)

Andrew crossed his arms. “I want you to tell Maddox that you were wrong. I never hurt you and he should know that.” The growl in his voice rubbed the beast’s fur the wrong way. The panther began to pace back and forth in her mind, agitated.

“Wouldn’t he believe you if you
told
him?”
Kera rubbed at her arms, trying to dry damp skin. She looked around and noticed the rain had kept the parking lot empty. Maybe people would come out now that the rain had stopped.

“He should.” Andrew frowned and looked up at the rain if contemplating why Maddox didn’t believe him. The
n his brown eyes hardened in an
intense stare
that focused on her. Kera shifted her feet under his scrutiny. It reminded her of the intense hatred she saw on him before. Images
swept through her mind
of his unkempt hair and fierce determination as he stood feet from the hood of Maddox’s beautifully painted black Mustang. “He did this on your word alone. I didn’t have the chance to deny anything because your allegations are dangerous. I’ve been nothing but kind to you
. Offering to show you around and h
elp you fit in here
,
but you choose the path directly to Maddox. My cousin is troubled and he’s dangerous. I’ve tried to tell you before but you wouldn’t even give your roommate and her friend a chance.”

“Why would you care…?” Kera’s eyes widened. “You knew who I was.” She whispered in shock.

“Of course.” He dropped his arms and smiled a forced polite smile. Kera felt her heart race faster as anxiety washed over her. “Luke is a family friend and he works for the University. He asked me to make you feel welcome. You would know that if you had given me a chance.”

“Why am I here
?”
S
he searched his face for any clue that he knew something about that.

“
That doesn’t matter
.”
He reached out for her and Kera flinched and stumbled back. His hand gripped her just above the elbow. He pulled her toward him.
She saw the look again in his eyes. The stony and unyielding hate that chilled her to the bone. Her hands ached and she knew the beast was close to the surface, preparing to shift to protect her.

“Don’t hurt me.” She begged.

Andrew smirked and tightened his hold on her arm.

Kera winced.

He leaned in close, nose just inches from hers. “Just do me a favor and call off the dog. Maddox is a menace and I don’t feel like getting pulverized because of your stupid mouth.”

Kera gasped when he ran a finger from his free hand across her lower lip. A growl started deep in her chest, like only the beast could do and Andrew laughed. Kera flushed in anger.
She pulled away from him, trying to free herself from the grasp he had on her arm. “Let me go.”

Amusement lit his eyes when she couldn’t break free. He pulled her to her car
and forced her back against it.
“Tell me what you’ll tell him.” He murmured.

Kera shoved her hands between them, pushing against his chest. He leaned in, full weight making her arms ache in strain. “How do I know you didn’t do it?” She asked him meekly, breathless from the fear.

He leaned in more, using more than his weight to press his body against her. “Do you know how much any one of us would give to have a chance at you Kera?” His head dipped to her hair, the rain
started to pick back up again. “I wouldn’t hurt you. I would use you for what you were made for. Tell me, does Maddox enjoy having the pleasure of screwing the only female strong enough to take the animal in us?”

Her breath escaped her when he tugged on a hand full of her hair, forcing her head to angle to his. Then he crushed his lips to hers and began to
kiss
at her mouth with painful intensity. Kera started to panic. She violently struggled against him but the more she struggled the harder he pushed her against her car. She could feel the jeep tilting. He could push the car over with her body smashed against it. She couldn’t breath
e. H
er ribs ached like they were going to break. She bit down on his lips the next time they came close to her teeth and drew the sharp tang of his blood into her mouth.

“
Aaah
.” Andrew cursed. He stumbled back, holding his mouth.

Kera sucked in air and shuttered.

“Bitch.” He growled.

Her cheek exploded in pain. Her back hit the door of her jeep and her head hit the top frame of the door. The darkness enclosed her for a moment before small patches of light came back into view. She sank to the ground and felt the wetness
of the rain water
soak into her pants.

Andrew leaned down and grabbed her chin in his hand. “You will never tell…” his jaw tensed and his eyes closed. His skin flushed shades darker in front of her eyes. Andrew started to shake, his grip relaxed and he fell backwards from his crouch and sprawled out on the asphalt. He cradled the hand that had touched her to his chest and groaned. Then his groan turned into a growl and he turned to her. His eyes filled with hate, burning in their intensity.

“You could have killed him.”
S
he found herself saying.
“If Nick hadn’t been there to pull him out he could have died. Did you do it on purpose?”

His eyes widened.
Fear blanketed his features for the first time. Andrew left her there in a rush. He didn’t look back.

“Hey are you okay?” The voice came from above her.

Kera looked up. The boy was kind looking. A Good Samaritan with a black umbrella
. Kera was still dazed. She didn’t know how long she had been sitting there, aching from Andrew’s abuse. “Fine.” She watched him squint down at her, trying to see her better. “Really, I just slipped and decided not to get up.”

The boy frowned. He reached out his hand and Kera took it. He helped her to her feet and Kera kept her head down and mumbled a thanks.

“No problem.”

Kera pulled open the door and got in her jeep. She nodded at the boy that helped her up and found her keys in the console.
She inserted them in the ignition and waited for the Good Samaritan to move away from her car before she pulled out of the parking lot. She headed for Maddox’s shop. The rain pounded and lightning lit the sky. She drove through deep puddles in road and sent waves of rain water in her wake. Her body was healing, loosening up but Andrew was a phantom against her skin. She wanted Maddox, needed Maddox to replace the phantom hands with his. Her heart raced as she got closer to his shop. The road was so dark, her headlights barely cut through the night.

When she pulled into the parking space in front she saw the darkness of his shop. The lights w
ere off, the door was closed
. Praying he was inside, sleeping, Kera parked and got out. The rain soaked her instantly. She ran up to the door and knocked. She took a deep breath, sucking in rain water but
hoping that she would catch his scent. There was nothing.
Kera tried the door. “Maddox!” S
he shouted as she slapped her palm against the door. “Are you in there?”

Her breath caught on a sob when no one answered.

She ran back to her car and pulled out her phone. Without checking the messages or the texts, she called him. It rang twice before he answered. “
Where have you been?” he growled.

Thunder cracked behind her. “Where are you? I’m here at your shop.” Her voice cracked as she spoke. “I need you.”

“I’m at the dorms. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Your dad even called me worried about you. What have you been doing Kera?”

Kera burst into tears and heard Maddox curse on the other end of the phone.

“I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He said then hung up.

She shivered and realized that she was standing in the rain still. She sat down and pulled the door closed. Once inside she looked at the text messages first then listened to the voicemail’s. They alternated between her father and Maddox and each became more angry and worried about her. The last one was from Maddox, he practically growled at her to call him back. She listened to them over and over trying to drown out Andrew’s voice in her head with the two guys she loved. She caught herself replaying the events from beginning to end in the silence. She shuttered again and prayed for Maddox to hurry. She didn’t care how mad
he was for her not calling him. She would deal with it as long as he was near.

The door opened and Kera dropped the phone. Her chest seized and a scream lodged in her throat. She whimpered when he moved closer.

“Kera?”

It was so good to hear his voice, in the midst of her panic she flung herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist and buried her face in his neck. He shut her door and supported her back with one arm. The other, he used to fish out his keys and open the door to his shop when he reached it. He carried her like she weighed nothing. She reveled in his strength feeling safe for it. The shop smelled like him and Kera immersed herself in the smell. Ponderosa Pine and motor oil.

Maddox tried to deposit her on the sofa but she refused. He didn’t argue, just carried her to the bathroom and set her on the sink. “Look at me.” He said.

Kera buried her face against his collar bone and shook her head no.

His shoulders tensed. “
What are you ashamed of?”

That’s when shame hit her. She thought of Andrew kissing her. She thought of her failed attempts to free herself. The shame was debilitation. She was helpless against him. He could have done anything he wanted to her. He did until he freaked out. What caused him to stop?

Maddox pealed her off of him gently but with firm hands she couldn’t combat. He was much stronger than her too.

She whimpered.

“You have to talk to me.” Maddox spoke with a deep guttural voice. He placed his hands on either side of her face and tilted her head to him.

Kera shut her eyes tightly then opened them quickly when the image of Andrew flashed in her mind. The contrast was welcome. Maddox’s eyes were dark blue and intense with worry and anger that
stemmed from that worry where Andrew had been filled with smugness and rage. His hate was almost physical. “Andrew attacked me.”
She whispered.

Maddox narrowed his eyes. “He said you would say something like that.”

Kera’s mouth opened and closed then opened again. “You spoke to him?” She screeched.
She placed her hands over his and pulled them away from her. She scooted off the sink and stood up.

Maddox pulled her right hand to his nose and inhaled.

His eyes darkened when he looked down at her. Kera froze as he stepped to her, leaned down and smelled her lips. She stopped breathing as he continued to her neck. He knelt before her and rested his hands on her hips to keep her in place as he continued his journey down her body. The action wasn’t sexual, Kera knew he was sorting through everything she had come in contact with to try and discern the smells. Andrew would be all over her.

But so was the rain.

She watched him lean back on his heels and hang his head as he thought. His hair fell over his forehead and effectively shielded his expression from her. Then suddenly he rel
eased her and stood. He
opened a cabinet
behind him
and pulled out a fresh towel
. He
handed it to her. “Shower and leave your clothes in here. I’ll get you something dry to wear.” Without looking at her, he left the bathroom and shut the door. “Then we’ll talk.” He murmured on the other side.

Inside the room by herself
,
she was enclosed with the offensive scents she carried on her skin and clothes. Quickly she did what Maddox asked.
While she washed she inhaled as much of the manly scent of his soap as she could. She wanted to burn it into her mind. All things Maddox and no Andrew. She felt dirty. Violated. She scrubbed her body until she was raw. The ink from earlier was gone but Andrew’s phantom hands felt like iron brands.
More permanent.
She shivered again in disgust. He
hadn’t left lasting bruises on her. Not even on her face where he slapped her. If he had, they were gone now. She cursed herself for not coming to Maddox immediately after it happened but she never thought she would need proof.

What had Andrew told him happened? Obviously he feared Maddox.

And his reaction to her version of the accident? That was promising. Maybe that would prove to him Andrew was after her. Then they could work together to find out why.

Maddox knocked at the door. “Almost done?”

“Sorry.” Kera shut off the water and dried off. She pulled the towel around her body and tucked in the edge between her breasts. Then she open the door and found Maddox standing there holding a pile of black clothes.

His eyes
darkened and he turned away. “Here.”

Kera took the clothes and shut the door in disappointment. She screwed up this time. In the last two days their relationship has been a rollercoaster ride. Just when she felt they had too much to recover from more issues were piled in the mix. Now she had to find out what she is doing here but also prove to Maddox she is trustworthy. Determination took root in her. She pulled the T shirt over her head and rolled the sweat pants at the waist then prepared herself to do everything she could to fix this with Maddox.