Rune (17 page)

Kitty frowned. “Please don’t say that’s what I think it is?” She switched the percolator on and, dropping to the chair, sat facing her.

Jess swallowed one. “What?”

“You haven’t been taking your contraceptive pill regularly?”

“No, never have, why?” She dropped another one, reading T on the foil, was it Tuesday or Thursday?
Oh fuck, Tuesday.
And she continued swallowing one at a time, not many more now till she reached today, Monday.

“You’ve had sex? And I imagine with Rune it was nonstop.”

Jess flushed and swallowed Saturday’s. “You could say that.”

“Surely you know that you need to take your pill on a daily basis for it to work?”

Jess frowned. “I don’t see the problem as long as I’ve had my quota.”

Kitty rubbed her head. “Please tell me you didn’t have unprotected sex?”

“Yep, he was satisfied I was clean, it felt a bit of an insult but there you go.”

Kitty covered her eyes. “Oh my God, Jess, with a man as hot as Rune, you do realize you could be pregnant, that his sperm has got to be powerful.”

Jess opened her mouth and then closed it. And went into denial. “No way, some people go for years trying, and I’ve been, what, a weekend?”

“Jess, at times you’re so naïve it’s unbelievable.”

“Trust me, naïve is so not the word I’d use now, not since being educated by Rune. And besides, I’ve always taken the pill like this.”

“Yeah, fine if you’re not in a sexual relationship, not so good if you are.”

“Whatever,” shrugged Jess, pushing her doubts to the back of her mind. Doing what she always did when worried, ignored it and buried her thoughts.

Kitty settled her with what Jess called her mother’s eyes, wanting to know all. “So, come on, tell me how you managed to hook the sexiest, most elusive man on the planet?”

Jess burst out laughing. “Thought LeBron was that.”

It was Kitty’s turn to colour. “We’re going to get married, but first he’ll be moving in here.”

“What?”

She nodded, and her face broke into a wide smile. “Yep, just as soon as I er…”

“As you what, Kit?” Jess recognized the nervous pulse at the edge of her eye, when she was worried about saying something. It looked like a half wink.

Kitty pulled a bottle out of the fridge, ignoring the hiss of the percolator. Jess reasoned it had to be serious and signalled for another. She might need this alcohol boost.

Instead of sitting opposite, Kitty roamed with a restless intensity around the large kitchen. And Jess waited, the more the silence stretched out, the more the nerves clung to her intestines. “Come on, Kit, spit it out, the tension is killing me.”

“How long have we known each other?” She aped Jess, swigging from the bottle, yet didn’t stop her pacing.

“For years, too many to count.”

“And how many secrets do we have from each other?”

“None,” answered Jess without hesitation.

Kitty stopped. “What about the time you ruined my bra in the wash, and didn’t tell me? And the truth only came out when you bought the wrong colour?”

Jess flushed. “Okay, I’ve got a bad memory, but I was only trying to replace it, and didn’t see the point in upsetting you.”

“So, how would you feel if I said I’ve kept something from you, only because I don’t want to scare you?”

“Like what?”

Kitty sucked in a long breath and at last sat down. She took hold of Jess’s hands and held them tight. “I’m not what I appear.”

Jess giggled. “Yeah, whatever.”

“I’m serious, Jess, I’m a Lycan.” Kitty’s green eyes bored into her.

“What the hell is that? Some kind of religion, like a Mormon or something?”

“No, Jess, it’s what I am, think of a werewolf, I’m similar but not the same. We’re not dominated by the cycle of the moon.”

“Whoa, what the frigging hell are you talking about?” Suddenly, a whole new curl of nerves wound around her body, this talk of werewolves brought back the vampire attack she’d seen.

“I’m a Lycan, a species that can shift between wolf and human form, my Ulfric LeBron is the same.”

“What’s an Ulfric?” Jess couldn’t get her thoughts around what Kitty was attempting to say.
Wolves for fuck’s sake?
She wondered if she’d taken anything, like drugs, was high on something.

“The ultimate ranking, think of him as a wolf-king. He’s my mate, and I’ll be his alpha female. ”

Frigging hell, the woman’s gone nuts.
Jess trembled, absorbed by the surreal sweep of green eyes that burned over her. “Kit, is this a joke? Have you banged your head or something?”

Kitty released her hand. “No, now watch.” She changed before her, transforming into a pale golden wolf.

Jess screamed and tipped back off the chair; she collapsed backwards to the floor. “Whoa, this so can’t be real, no way am I seeing this.”

Kitty changed back and helped her to her feet.

Jess took her hand, surreptitiously checking for claw marks and fleas. “But how?”

Kitty shrugged her shoulders. “It’s not something you go around advertising; you can gauge the shock yourself.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

“Well, you never mentioned my bra getting ruined.”

“Shit, Kit, I think fucking up a bra in the boil wash is just a tad different from you turning out to be the wrong species of human life. Don’t you?”

“I’ll get you another bottle.”

Jess sat at the table, visions of vampires at diners taking away more than a burger, and now her best friend a wolf? Shit, this was some serious stuff. Automatically, she reached out and clasped the chilled beer; it fetched her down to earth.

“So, you’re a wolf?”

Kitty nodded. “Yes and no. I’m a Lycan. We’re not like a werewolf, changing at the lunar signs; we pick and choose. Which is why we are able to live among you so easily.”

“But why haven’t I ever seen you change? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Kitty’s face crumpled. “It’s not exactly the type of over dinner talk people want to hear. And whenever I felt the urge to change, then I’d leave for a day or two.”

Jess continued to stare at her. “But I’m your best friend, Kit, and I feel hurt you never shared this with me.”

“I was working on it, and now with LeBron wanting to move in, welI, I guess you needed to know.”

“And if that hadn’t happened, would you have told me?”

Kitty shrugged and swallowed the remains of her beer. “Probably, at some point, but don’t ask me when. I didn’t want to freak you out.”

“So, er, have you had your shots?”

“Jess, just fuck the hell off.”

“Only asking, I know of an excellent all-in-one treatment for worms, ticks, and fleas if you want me to get it for you.”

Kitty rolled her eyes. “And you wonder why I never told you?”

Jess’s laughter cracked around the kitchen. “Fuck me, I don’t believe my best friend is a wolf.”

“Well, I’m glad you find it amusing.”

“Jesus, the thought of you and LeBron going at it doggy style puts a whole new concept on it.” She shrieked with a loud burst of giggles.

“Will you shut the hell up!” Yet a small grin played around her lips. “You’re insane.”

§§§

Rune settled down, the leaves and grass crunched beneath his body. He lay his head between his paws and watched. The hackles of his hair rose; he recognized the tinkle of her laughter that rippled through the night air and gathered she wasn’t missing him.

But hell, he was missing her warm body beneath his. The landscape darkened, the minutes ticked by, and the time moved slowly on. Throwing his head back, a long, lonesome lament echoed across the landscape.

§§§

“Did you hear that?” Jess tilted her head and shivered at the moan of longing that rumbled over the earth. She’d finished her drink and her humour had deserted her. Memories of Rune rose, the deep timbre of his voice, the sexy tattoo that circled his thigh, along with his splintering golden eyes, shit, but she wanted him.

Kitty nodded and frowned. “Yes.”

“It sounded like a howl.”

“Yea, probably a dog on the loose looking for a bitch,” said Kitty.

“Most likely. Look, sorry I’m not the best of company.” Jess stared at her empty drink, debated having another, to drown her sorrows and try and forget Rune. “I think it’s only now hitting me and I still can’t believe that you’re a, well, and that—”

“You’re thinking of Rune.” Kitty touched her shoulder. “So, will you be seeing him again?”

Jess gave a sharp laugh. “No, no; I won’t ever be seeing him again. He couldn’t wait to get rid of me.”

Kitty reached up, pulling her into her arms. “Oh, hun, I’m sorry.”

Jess snuffled and the tears fell; if Kitty had kept back her sympathy, then maybe she’d have held it together. But not now. “I feel so miserable, Kit; for the first time in my entire life, I had a real orgasm, but he doesn’t want me.”

“How do you know?”

“Maybe because he couldn’t wait to drop me off, and get rid of me?”

“And how do you feel now about a relationship?”

Jess could answer that at once. “Never, I can’t, no way could I put what we, what I had into a …” she shook her head. “I couldn’t chance it, not ever.”

“And yet you’re upset? So, how does that work if you don’t want him?”

Jess scrubbed at her eyes and shook her head. “I don’t know, I want him, shit, I crave him, yet I’m afraid of what could happen. Does that make sense?”

Kitty studied her. “And how about me and LeBron?”

“I wish you all the best, but, Kit, I’m too scared. And to be honest, it’s a pointless conversation because Rune doesn’t give a toss about me.”

Chapter Fifteen

Jess woke from a tired sleep; it was one filled with Rune. Her head ached, her eyes throbbed, puffy with the tears she’d shed. She also knew she couldn’t face work. The misery engulfed her, and so she texted, pulling a sick day. It wasn’t too far off the truth, because she felt ill, both mentally and physically. Her body drained.

It had been a long time before sleep had gripped her. Kitty had gone up to bed, most like to dream about the stud LeBron, she guessed, and didn’t blame her. Whilst she’d remained downstairs trying to digest the fact her best friend was a frigging wolf. And not only that, but now mated to one.

She wondered, if Kitty got pregnant, would she have a litter?

Jess still couldn’t believe it was true and continued to berate her conscience because, if it were, then her stopover made it all the more real. Those vampires did kill everyone in the diner.

Yet she was pretty sure if it had happened, then it would have made the front page headlines. Closeted in Caprice, she hadn’t heard or seen anything. Yet surely Kitty would have mentioned it; she never missed the news report on TV. Somehow, she’d have slipped that snippet into the conversation. Along with the fact she wasn’t human.

Did everyone have a Lycan for a best friend? She still couldn’t understand or believe how Kitty had changed into a wolf. Neither could she work out how she’d never suspected she was different. And then remembered the wolf that she’d seen, how Rune had said it was a dog.

Like hell it was.

When she’d crawled into bed, Jess had curled into her pillow and automatically reached out, hitting fresh air. God, but she missed him, every inch of the bossy twat. The night had been spent restlessly tossing and turning; she couldn’t relax, needing his big body to curve into. She snatched in an annoyed, pissed off sigh at herself.
Get real, girl, he doesn’t want you, now move on.

Her hand slipped between her legs, fingered her clit, and stopped. Heck, not a smidgeon of arousal scrambled to life. She rolled onto her back and debated taking The General, yet knew he didn’t have the oomph. What she needed was Rune, but he didn’t want her. Jess shook her head, and what if he did?

How would she react?

Jess knew that she would run scared. She was at a crossroads, wanting him with a desperation, yet refusing the idea of a relationship. Because she was torn, craving him, needing his cock, but she didn’t want to think of them as a couple. Jess was terrified that any feelings they developed would be ripped to pieces, dissected and broken.

She continued with her fingers, but her fanny remained in a sulk, and she gave up. What the hell was she to do for the rest of her life without Rune? Jess gave a sad shake; shit, was she in trouble.

Finally, she hauled her ass out of bed and tried to miss the reflection in the mirror. God, she looked rough, resembling a spectre, pale with dark smudges beneath her eyes. Her hair bounced in a wild tumble around her hips. She dreaded to think what she’d appear like in a weeks’ time if one night of no Rune brought her to this.

Jess wished she could turn back time, that it was last Thursday, and she hadn’t accepted the gift, because he had turned her life upside down in a matter of days.

At last, she could understand how Kit had fallen in love with LeBron in a week. It was inconceivable a few days ago, yet now—? She yanked on a skirt, not bothering with underwear; she wasn’t in love, it was infatuation with a man that could reduce her to fainting in an orgasm.

That’s all.

Yeah, like, right
, argued her conscience.

Jess slipped her feet into a pair of sandals and dragged on a loose top; she resembled a scruffy gypsy with the red glints darting through her dark brown hair. She ambled downstairs into the kitchen that smelt like a brewery and absently scooped coffee into the percolator. The house was silent, Kit’s little car missing.

Jess wondered how she was going to afford to buy another; dare she ask her mother for some cash? Then slammed that thought; whatever the insurance company paid out would have to do.

Asking George was a waste of time, he was stuck firmly in another century. Heck, with what he’d give, she just might afford a push bike.

Jess poured coffee and flicked the radio on, the distinctive voice of Paloma Faith singing
Only Love Can Hurt Like This
echoed around the room. With a sharp huff, she slammed it off, the words sliced through her. Jess glanced at the time, it was edging past mid-day. Unexpectedly, she heard the drone of a car and prayed it wasn’t her mother, because she could really do without her selfish bitching today. She wasn’t in the mood for it and frowned at the staccato rap on the door.