Chance Lost (8 page)

Chapter 14

Jack was up and nursing a cup of coffee by the time they got their shoes on and hit the kitchen. Chance cooked breakfast for the three of them. One of the only things she could cook decent enough to eat was an omelet. She also found some potatoes and grated them into hash browns, adding jalapenos to the mix. She loved spicy food, especially in the mornings. It added the extra wake up one needed after a night of drinking.  She topped the omelets off with some salsa and the room stayed silent, with an occasional, “This is good,” getting tossed out around mouthfuls, until they were finished.

Chance took her coffee out to the back deck to enjoy some fresh air as the guys cleaned up. She insisted it was only fair; she cooked, they cleaned. She picked a white leather Barcalounger to sit in and it felt like heaven. She made a mental note to get several of these for her cabin. She turned in her chair when she heard a loud bang and then laughter coming from the kitchen. Sylas was loading the dishwasher and had dropped a plate. “OK, sticky fingers Malone, go join your girl. I got this,” Jack fussed at him while laughing.

“I had a thought while waiting on you two slowpokes,” she said to both of them when Jack finally joined them on the deck.

“Uh oh, she’s thinking, Sy. I’ll distract her while you run for cover!” Jack laughed, winking at her.

“You can do the running, Jack. I’ll stick with my girl, thank-you-very-much!”

“Your girl. Huh. Never been called that before.” Chance winked back at Jack then turned to Sylas with a straight face and raised eyebrows.

Chance was surprised when Sylas reached over and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Yes, my girl. You think I’m gonna let a girl get away that can kick royal ass? I might need you to put Jack in his place one of these days. Since I’m his best friend, it wouldn’t be prudent for me to do it, and he doesn’t hit women. You’d seriously have one up on him.”

“Low blow, brother, low blow.” Jack tried to be serious but lost the battle and laughed at him.

“No worries, Jack. I don’t hit men either. It’s the monsters thinking they are men, the ones who hit women that I have issues with. I can tell neither of you are those kind of men,” Chance said quietly. Having turned the conversation towards the serious side unintentionally, she smiled at them both.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to get so morose. It’s a conversation for another day. What I was trying to say earlier is why don’t I ask Rick to meet us at the property tomorrow instead of my house. I’d love for both of you to see it. I’ve also asked a water dowser if he would dowse the area for underground springs. I think he is available tomorrow as well. Make it a day trip with a picnic? I mean, if you would like to. Since I am happily and permanently unemployed now I have nothing else going. And I’m rambling. Your turn to talk now,” she rushed out looking at Sylas and then Jack, blushing furiously.

Nice going, Chance, now they think you’re nuts. That must have been the most you’ve said at one time to either one of them. Scare the hunky men away rambling like an escaped looney. Yea, real smart. Not!
She thought to herself as they sat quietly looking at her like she had a third eye or something.

Busting out laughing at the same time, Jack punched Sylas in the arm and said, “I’m game if you are Sy. I can get one of the girls to open and close the bar. Sounds like an adventure to me! I can take care of the eats, if you want to take care of the beverages. Motorcycles or cages?”

Chance piped in before Sylas could reply, “Its very rough terrain up there. I haven’t hired out a crew to bulldoze a driveway into the property yet. Cages would be better. Sylas?”

His eyes were glowing bright and beautiful as she looked at him. He was smiling at her with a big grin on his face. “I only have one question. You’re happily and permanently unemployed?”

“That was all you got out of the whole conversation, Sylas?” She laughed; totally thrilled that he didn’t think she was looney after all. “Yes, I no longer need to work. So… do you want to go see my property?”

“Yes, babe, I‘d love to see your property. I got the drinks handled, and I heard every single, lovely word you said,” he replied kissing her again. She made all her calls and set the meetings for around noon. It gave them time to sleep in a little and eat before heading out in the morning.

Chance and Sylas agreed to head to their respective homes to shower, change clothes and to meet back at Jack’s that evening. He lived closer to the property and it made more sense to leave together from his place. Sylas drove her home and insisted on waiting for her to do what she needed. Chance insisted she was fine. She needed a little space to gather her wits and she couldn’t do it when a look from him made her knees weaken. She waved him off from the front door. She could tell he was reluctant to leave, but she promised to lock the door after he left, so he acquiesced.

Chance heard the Jeep round the corner and was about to lock the door, when she heard the neighborhood dogs raising hell. Then she heard scratching at her front door. She cracked the door just enough to peek out. Pretty Boy, the husky, was sitting on her porch. She opened the door enough to let him in and then locked it as she had promised.

“Pretty Boy, I’m so glad to see you’re alright! Are you hungry?” The dog wagged his tail with those expressive eyes, so she went into the kitchen and filled a bowl with left over steak and another with fresh water. “I hope you don’t mind, but I think I’d like to call you Sy, Pretty Boy. Your eyes remind me of his.” He turned a quick circle and reached to lick her hand and she let him. She felt better with him here. It wasn’t that she was afraid of anything or anyone hurting her, it just felt better with him there.

“Taking a shower now, Sy, so make yourself at home. Be out in a few minutes.” The dog yipped in agreement and she walked into her bathroom to turn the water on. When she came out to decide what to wear, Sy was lying on the end of her bed, curled up watching her. “I see you took that literally, Sy! It’s okay, you curl up anywhere you want.” She gave him a quick ear scratch. Grabbing a towel, she left him to get clean.

When she finished and turned off the water, Chance grabbed a comb and ran it through her wet locks. She was one of the lucky few blessed with thick individual strands of hair that tended not to tangle when wet. Leaving the bathroom wrapped in her towel, she walked into the bedroom to sort through her clothes again, not satisfied with her first choices. Since they were going to spend the day in the woods, she grabbed some comfortable jeans and a tank top with a pull over sweatshirt. She dropped the towel to dress and heard a whine coming from her bed.

“Embarrassing you am I, Sy? Sorry sweets, but I need to get dressed.” Chance bent over to pull on her jeans, and the dog jumped from the bed and left the room. She giggled and said aloud, “I can’t believe you can’t be in the same room with me naked. Too funny!”

Chance finished dressing and picked out another change of clothes should she need them. Sy scratched at the front door, so she quickly let him out. She started to head back to her room to finish when she heard another scratch at the door. “Can’t make up your mind, Sy?” she said but stopped short of anything else when he raised his paw to the lock and left again. Shocked, Chance closed the door and locked it. She watched, slack-jawed, out the front window as the dog went on his way, seemingly satisfied the door was locked.

Chapter 15

Sylas was dying. He was in pain. He had to be, because he couldn’t breathe. The vision of Chance naked in all her glory was too much. Why he went into that bedroom, knowing…
knowing
she was getting ready for a shower was beyond him. It was all he could do to walk away from her and leave the room.

Chance reminded him of Lady Godiva with all that hair. All he wanted to do the second she dropped her towel was get lost in her. Then she bent over and he was done. He wanted her more than anything he’d ever thought of wanting in his 500 years. He wanted to pull her tresses, be inside her and never come out again. He’d almost shifted, and the pain of needing her right then and there had caused him to whine.

The only reason he came back to the house was her need for a shower. She would be at her most vulnerable then. He had a bad feeling about leaving her there alone, but once out of the shower, he knew she could take care of herself.  He took a huge gamble when he didn’t hear the lock click shut by pawing at the lock when she opened the door again. He needed to be more careful. If he kept this up, she would learn about the immortal world, and he could not let it happen until he knew she was the one.

Sylas beat a quick path back to her Jeep and raced home
. Speed limits be damned!
He had to get back before she suspected something was up besides his throbbing cock.
Fuck!
He wanted her badly and there was no relief in sight. He arrived home and jumped in the shower. He was never one to play the one-fisted flute, but there was no way he could go back to her in his condition.

Just the image of her bent over, exposing her sweet folds to him did the trick. He almost fell to his knees as the orgasm rocked him to his core. It wasn’t what he truly wanted or needed, but he felt he could manage being around her again… for now.

Sylas finished his shower, dressed and raided his pantry for a case of water in record time. The beer he would get on the way back to her house. Picking up everything he needed and shoving it all into the back of the Jeep, he headed back, stopping at the local liquor store for beer and wine.

When he finally arrived, she was waiting for him at the door. She looked good with a loose braid lying over her shoulder, so much so that he had to taste her. “Hey Beautiful. I missed you.” He pulled her to him and she went willingly. He pressed a kiss to her forehead as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Bending his head down, he dipped his tongue deep within, stroking her with it, as he wanted to do elsewhere.

When they finally came up for air, she was staring into his eyes. He knew they were glowing brightly just like every other time he kissed her. He knew she could see it, and yet she never said anything about it. It was another thing he loved about her. That single, solitary word hit him like a brick wall. He did love her. He hoped that even if she wasn’t the one, he could spend a lifetime, her lifetime showing her she was loved. She deserved it. He wanted to wipe all her pain away, remove it from her eyes and replace it with love for him.

“You just left, how could you miss me in so short a time?” She was grinning at him.

Sylas knew she was teasing him and it felt good. It meant she was starting to relax more in his presence, which also meant she was beginning to trust him. Now he needed to keep the wolves at bay. He was not about to lose her, now that he’d found her. Returning her smile was easy.

“Chance, any time away from you is too long. Besides, who else would I want to kiss like this?” and he leaned her back in his arms and starting at the nape of her neck, he ran kisses all the way up until he reached her lips. She giggled just as he was about to dive in for another. “What, don’t you trust me?”

She giggled some more and replied “I so have a picture of Edward and Bella in my head right now!”

“Ah, but I’m not a sparkly, cold assed Vampire. Team Jacob here,” he threw out, testing the waters while there was an opportunity. Sometimes innocent discussions gave the most informative answers, and he got it with her reply.

“I prefer warmth over cold and besides, Jacob had the better body,” she replied pulling him in for another kiss. He pulled them both up out of the dip.. “I think if we continue this, we won’t make it back to Jack’s,” he whispered in her ear. He felt a shudder run its course down her body from the heat of his breath and he smiled, liking the effect he had on her.

“You ready, babe? Point me to your things and let’s get this party started. We’re losing daylight.”  She nodded and he finished loading the Jeep, while she locked up the house. Right after they pulled out, Sylas caught sight of a black SUV that had just passed them in the rear view mirror. It was turning into her subdivision and there was a very strong scent of wolf trailing along with it
. “Fuck! How did they find her so fast?”
he thought as he fought to control his anger. It wouldn’t do any good for Chance to see him angry for no reason.

Sylas distracted himself by playing a game of movie trivia with Chance, since she was such a fan. They bantered and discussed right up until they pulled into Jack’s driveway. He’d gleaned her favorite movies were the Underworld and Twilight series, but the top of the list was Serenity. He’d not seen it and she made him promise to someday sit with her and watch it. Turned out Jack owned the movie and they all watched it while eating dinner. They gathered in the living room and Chance curled up next to him on the couch. He laughed when she would quote her favorite parts word for word.

He was so engrossed in the movie that he didn’t notice Chance had fallen asleep and was lightly snoring, until the credits started rolling. He smiled and extricated himself gently away from her, easing her back on the couch and covering her with a throw. She stayed asleep, looking like an angel… his angel. An angel he would die to protect, only she wasn’t exactly his yet and she definitely wasn’t defenseless. Her face was serene and her lips were turned up in a small smile, one he hoped he’d put there.

Looking at Jack, he jerked his head towards the back door. As soon as they were outside and the door was shut, Sylas let loose. “They’ve fucking found her, Jack! I saw a wolf pulling into her subdivision as I was leaving. He didn’t notice us but I sure as hell smelled his rank ass!”

“Shit Sy, if you go back and try to take him out, you’ll be tipping them off that they, in fact, do have her.”

Sylas started pacing. “I know and I’m lost as to what to do. This is a first for me, Jack. I can’t tell her who we are yet. I still don’t know if she’s the one. It puts all of us in jeopardy if she’s not my mate.”

Jack sighed in feigned frustration. Of the two of them, he always seemed cool and collected, and Sylas counted on it to keep straight. “I think you could tell her the human part of it, Sylas. Tell her you heard the bikers from the bar are looking for her. Tell her you saw one of them in her neighborhood, and maybe we can convince her to stay here.”

“So many ifs, Jack. I’ll try this approach, but I don’t like it. I don’t like starting a relationship on lies, especially when I just gained a little of her trust. At least it’s truth in a white lie. If I lose her over this, I swear the whole pack will go down and they will know the reason when they take their last breaths.”

“I never thought I’d see you like this, and it’s long overdue, bro. You’ve given me back my faith. If you can fall this deeply for a woman you’ve known less than a week, then she has to be the one. There’s no other explanation for it, Sy, and I’ll be there to make sure it happens.”

I’ve only known her 3 or 4 days? Was she mine forever?
Sylas had thousands of questions running through his mind, but he desperately needed some Chance therapy. She’d become his place of Zen in his fucked up world. She made him laugh when he’d forgotten how. He suddenly realized his boredom was gone and he was finally living life, as it should be. She’d completely changed his life for the better in a few short days.

Sylas went back inside, determined to tell Chance the white lie, but it could wait until morning. She was sleeping soundly. He gently picked her up and walked to the same bed they’d used the night before. He managed to pull off her shoes and tuck her back under the covers without waking her. He removed his shoes and joined her, back on top of the covers. Pulling her into his chest, he curled himself around her, breathing in her scent. Honey and wine is what she smelled and tasted like. He closed his eyes and dreamed of showers and lost towels.