Animal Nature: A Paranormal Romance (The Animal Sagas) (4 page)

“Oh Clay, I’m sorry,” she said quickly. She had never meant to hurt him. He just shook his head and climbed off of her. He pointed toward the door of the cabin.

“Inside, and go to bed, please, I need some rest,” he said sharply.

Sonya nodded, feeling very disappointed in how the evening had turned out. She had only wanted to set him up with a mate, not cause him to be mortified. As she sulked in her room, she could hear him growling in the next room. As she fell asleep, she could not ignore the strange sensations that kept flooding her body and the repetitive way the memory of his body slamming into hers kept filling her mind.

The next day she was determined to make it up to Clay. She didn’t like him very much, but she didn’t need to treat him with disrespect either. When she wandered through the woods, she was careful not to wander too far off. When it was time to head in for dinner, she was waiting and ready to go. Clay eyed her suspiciously as if he thought she might have something up her sleeve.

“Ready to go already?” he asked with confusion.

“I want to make you dinner,” she said.

“Really? Can it be venison steak again?” he asked hopefully.

“Sure,” she laughed and they headed back to the cabin. As she cooked the meal, Clay took a shower, and she found herself thinking back to the day before. She was sure her friends would not be interested in Clay now that they had seen him get so angry. But she still wanted her freedom. But how to get it…

Chapter 7

Her new life would be so much easier if she could just… Just then Sonya stopped and blinked a few times, as a stunning realization hit her right in the face, fork still in her hand. If she were to take a mate, all her problems would be solved. She wouldn’t need a body guard anymore. “Woohoo!”, she cheered in her head!

Nasty old Jonathan would have no use at all for a mated were – not even a mated  Yukonia. Even he wouldn’t attempt something like that. Once mated to another he would not attempt to own her again. She brightened at the thought of that problem being crossed off her mental list. Life would be so much simpler, she could come and go as she pleased, even to town if she wanted, without the threat of abduction. And that suited her just fine.

Plus, her Yukonia magic would help her adjust to her lover’s lifestyle and she figured that that would be lots of fun too. Plus, plus, she wouldn’t feel like such a stranger in the midst of her sister’s new adopted family. “So,” she wondered to herself, “who will the lucky wolf be? Hmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm?”

She mulled over her options, looking over all of the single members in the pack in her minds eye as she pulled the steaks off of the frying pan. She turned the skillet over and scraped the vegetables out onto two plates already positioned on the table, making sure to give Clay the larger portion of the two. And it was at that moment that she heard Clay come out of the bathroom and call down the hall to ask if the food was done. A devilish smile spread across Sonya’s pretty face. Perfect, she could get rid of both of their problems in one fell swoop.

“Dinner’s ready!” she called down the hall in her best fifties housewife voice. Let the show begin!

Clay ambled into the kitchen, hair still wet and pointing in all directions, and sat down in front of his plate piled high with vegetables and a nice deer steak too. It was clear he hadn’t taken the time to fully groom himself after his shower but at least he had fresh clothes on and didn’t smell like a wet dog anymore. He smiled at her as he sat down and jumped right in, chomping on a few juicy mushrooms as he cut up his steak. He was really hungry after the afternoons newest excursion and jabbed at another potato with his fork, before pouring himself a cup of coffee.

Clay loved to eat – he was definitely a meat and potatoes kind of guy. And he was fairly easy to please overall which helped. Even if he could be a major grouch from time to time. But he was fit and trim and in the best shape of his life, Sonya admired to herself. Thanks to her too, if only in part to their constant chases out in the forest! Plus, he always enjoyed the way Sonya put a meal together for them. She wasn’t the best cook in the world, she knew that, but she was fairly inventive and knew food combinations enough to satisfy him pretty much every meal.

“She hasn’t poisoned me yet”, he thought to himself as he grinned, shoving another piece of potato into his mouth. “Good food”, he said to her without looking up from his meal.

“You’re welcome”, Sonya said almost as an after thought and just being polite.

But Sonya had other, more important, things on her mind. While the two ate supper Sonya carefully considered how she could seduce the big werewolf. Sonya knew it wouldn’t be easy. After over five months of chasing her around, Clay was savvy to most of her usual tricks, so tricking him would take coming up with something completely new. If she simply tried to slip into bed with him one night, he’d pitch a fit. Not to mention that her lack of bedroom experience made outright seduction a bad option for her. Getting him drunk wouldn’t work either. First off, Clay could easily drink her under the table, no doubt there. Plus her Yukonia magic worked far more easily when both partners were willing. And seducing a man in a drunken stupor wasn’t the best way to start a long lasting relationship.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Clay’s annoyed voice broke into her musings and brought Sonya’s attention back to the meal.

Startled, Sonya gave him her most disarming smile. “No reason. Is the new episode of that hunting show you like on TV tonight? Or does that come on tomorrow?”

Clay grunted at her as he continued to cut his steak into man-sized pieces and confirmed that it was, although he wasn’t sure how the reception would be. “Weather report says there is a big snow storm coming in tonight, maybe tomorrow.”

She sighed appreciatively at his answer.

“You may be a big pain in my ass she-cat, but you sure can cook. That was one fine steak. Great meal!” Clearing his plate, Clay then headed to the front door. “I’m gonna check in with Ben. You stay put, don’t go anywhere – and I will be right back. I mean it!”

While Clay was gone, a plan began to form in Sonya’s head as she cleared the table. A few miles down the ridge line from their cabin was a small cave. She had found it one day on a hunt a few months after she moved in. Sometimes she used it as a place of refuge when she wanted to spend some time away from the pack. She had made a little den inside, and kept it stocked with lots of little necessities – some blankets, a few books, a lantern and a few other odds and ends too. Everything she would need to spend a few days away in relative privacy and comfort if she ever decided she needed a “vacation” from them all.

The cave was not a secret though. Clay knew exactly where the cave was. As far as she knew though, none of the other pack members knew about the cave. Of this she was certain, but Clay did not ever go there without her already there.  In fact, he had tracked her to the cave several times over the past few months during their daily outings. Maybe, just maybe, if she could lure him out there, right as the big storm hit, they would be marooned there together, in a small tight space. And then that might lead to… That should easily give Sonya ample time to convince him that their relationship needed to take course toward a new dimension.

When Clay returned to the cabin, he was surprised to find Sonya already dozing on the couch. Carefully, he turned off the TV, picked up his charge and carried her to her bedroom. He groaned a bit when she reacted to his presence by cuddling into his arms. Sonya hid her half smile as she snuggled closer against him. Just as she’d thought, he wasn’t as immune to her charms as he pretended to be. She knew it! She felt him gently place her on the bed, and then carefully tuck the blankets in, all around her. She heard him slowly sigh as he left her bedroom, and Sonya smiled beneath the warm blankets. She felt he was already half way hers.

Really drowsy herself from the previous days chase and all the cooking and cleaning she had just done, Sonya did allow herself several hours of  “beauty” sleep before she woke up to continue along with her plan. When she did finally wake, it was the dead of night, and the cabin was nearly silent all around her. All she could hear was the sound of Clay’s breathing coming from his bedroom next door  and the winds whistling from outside. Looking out the window, Sonya saw, to her satisfaction, that the snow was starting to fall heavily outside. There was a little wind too, but, as of yet, visibility was still good. The weather seemed to be perfectly following her plan!

Chapter 8

Sonya stepped away from the window observing the snow storm, and butterflies began to flutter in her stomach. What if she was mistaken about the attraction she thought she had seen in him? What if Clay really didn’t like her in that way? What if she couldn’t get Clay to make love to her? What if something bad happened while they were out there, all by themselves during the storm? Sonya stood there for a second and finally shook off her apprehension. Now was not the time for doubt. Now was the time for action! And time was quickly running out!

So, she first slipped out of her clothes, quietly snuck down the hall and then slipped out of the cabin and out into the snow. Shivering, Sonya snuck around the cabin until she reached her bodyguards window. She rapped loudly on the glass pane until she saw him start out of bed and face her. His sleepy, yet furious expression, told her that she did in fact have his attention. He was used to her antics but not in the middle of the night. She gave her guard a chipper little wave as she stood there in the snow absolutely nude.

“Hi Clay! Isn’t the snow absolutely gorgeous? I’m going to go out for a run! Bye!” And just like that, she shifted into a mountain lion and ran off into the night.

Sonya didn’t actually go very far. She wanted to make sure Clay followed her the right way of course. So she stopped – when she was hidden from sight in the nearby woods she listened closely for Clay. She could hear Clay bellowing furiously at her, first from inside the house at the window, and within a few moments, from just outside the door. With a final, “Damn it all you crazy she-cat!” he shifted form, and she could hear furry canine footsteps running in the direction she had fled. Then she was off in full force too, headed for the safety of the secret cave.

The snow sprayed up from under her feet. The moonlight played across her dark fur. She loved having Clay chase her. Her was her best plaything of all time. It always gave her a thrill to know he was just a few feet behind her, and that he might catch her at any moment. A few times over the past several months she had even let him catch her, his massive bulk slamming into her and pinning her into the ground. It was those moments that had built up to the point that she could even consider him as a mate.

And tonight would be no exception. So Sonya ran through the woods, not really trying too hard to out race him. She ran through the woods, the sounds of the night stilled by the falling snow. But back behind her she could hear Clay beginning to catch up,  his heavy breaths, and the low growl deep within his throat. He chased her through the snow and trees, barking and whining, ever the annoyed little body guard, the white fluff outlining her tan body, making her easier to trail.

They were getting close now. Ahead Sonya saw the ridge that her cave hideout was built into, she was almost there, but if he caught her before she reached it, her whole plan might not work out. She made a slight turn towards the cave, allowing her to make certain that Clay was still close behind her, careful that she veered slowly enough to allow her to make certain Clay was still close.

When the werewolf realized her destination, he began to speed up, towards her flank. He was intent on cutting her off before she got to the safety of the cave. He was intent on cutting her off and making his opinion on after midnight snowy runs quite clear. That was a tactic of his Sonya knew all too well. Yes, she knew all his tricks too! So instead of letting him flank her right then and there, Sonya stopped short. She just stopped! Right in place. Clay blew past her at full speed – long before he realized his mistake and way too late to make a correction. His skidding paws kicked up a cloud of snow as he stopped.

By the time he had turned around, Sonya was off again, this time sprinting towards the cave. She could see the small mouth of it calling to her. She closed her eyes and put her entire strength behind her languid strides. When she felt the cool of the stone against the bottom of her paw, she was flooded with a sense of victory. “Safe, made it – I’m safe,” she thought to herself.

Once he caught up with her Sonya was already inside the dark cave, stretched out naked on her pile of blankets, playing with the lantern, looking a bit surprised at her “uninvited” guests arrival.

“Oh, there you are, Clay. I was just wondering what took you so long. Nice night for a run don’t you think? I just love the snow.” Sonya told the werewolf as he shifted on the blankets in front of her, shaking the snow, leaves and branches off his coat.

“What the hell, Sonya? Have you lost your furry, feline mind? What part of snow storm were you confused about? Didn’t you hear me talk about this earlier?” he demanded as he stared down at her. He was so angry that it seemed he didn’t notice the beauty sprawled out before him.

Right on cue, the wind began to howl briskly outside the cave, blowing the snow into a nearly solid white sheet. Clay glanced over his shoulder at the angry weather outside with a look of complete aggravation on his chiseled face. His deep groan indicated he was in no mood to be stuck in the cave. Then he angrily threw the heavy wool blanket she had pegged up to act as a door down over the cave entrance. When he moved towards her, after finishing taking care of the door, Sonya realized he was favoring his left leg.

Newly alarmed she sat up swiftly, forgetting her seduction for the moment. “What did you do to your leg? What happened, Clay? Why… are you limping?” Sonya asked him.

“What do you care? Aw, it’s fine” he grumbled at her under his breath, angrily. “I just strained my ankle a bit on that last turn thanks to YOU!”, he yelled at her, turning away before he got even madder.  “You really need to stop doing this, she-cat. It’s way too hard on my body. I’m not a pup anymore you know?! A guy has his limits!” Clay then sat down next to her on the pile of blankets looking defeated and rubbed his ankle absent-mindedly as he looked away.