The Fire Inside (3 page)

With quick strokes, she took care of her hygienic needs and
rinsed off. Towel in place, she walked to the bedroom, refusing to look at her
front door no matter how great the temptation. She knew he was still there. She
could feel his presence. This had her steps slowing. Could he truly be her
mate? He seemed pretty certain. She climbed onto her bed and curled up on her
side.

She may not be sure about the mate part, but she did find it
strange that she liked his presence. Earlier she’d been all too ready to be
away from Xabier, but Konrad—well, she just felt different. Did that make him
her mate? She rolled to her back and thumped her fist against the mattress.
Even if it did, it didn’t matter. She made her choices, not Fate. And Konrad
didn’t fit in with her choices.

Howls, screams and whimpers filled the night air. Tyra’s
breaths sawed in and out of her lungs as panic rose inside, threatening to
choke the life from her. Her eyes watered as her gaze panned the smoke-filled
area.

“Tyra, run! You must go.”

“Mommy. I can’t leave you!” Tyra looked down at her
mother trapped beneath a wooden beam, flames licking its edge.

“Do as I say. Change now and run ’til you can’t run
anymore.”

Tears streamed down her soot-smeared cheeks as she pulled
her clothes off. Seconds later she sank to the ground as fur replaced her skin
and her joints rearranged themselves. She walked over to her mother and rubbed
her face against her.

“I love you, Tyra. Never forget that. Now go.”

Tyra whimpered as she headed off into the underbrush that
would conceal her escape. But a male voice had her halting and turning back
toward her mother.

“Your mate is dead, Ruth.”

Tyra crouched low in the bushes and stared at the tall
bald man who stood over her mother.

“He should have taken me up on my offer,” the man
sneered.

“We would never align ourselves with filth like you.”

Tyra felt surprised at the strength behind her mother’s
words. Fear had her own limbs trembling. The man’s facial features hardened and
his thin lips pulled tighter. “See, I was only going to kill you, but now I
think I’ll make it slow and painful. Maybe I’ll even show you what a real man
is like. Maybe then you will learn to mind your tongue.”

Fury filled Tyra and she moved toward the man. If her
mother could brave this beast then so could she. For the first time in her
life, rage filled her and she wanted death. His death. Her mother’s gaze caught
hers though, and she saw the silent plea in them. Her mother’s lips formed the
word
go.

As the man gripped her mother’s arm, his claws digging
into her flesh, Tyra turned and ran as her mother had said. The dense foliage
slapped at her face and body, but she didn’t slow her pace. She didn’t know how
long she ran, but the first light of dawn glowed in pale blues and purples on
the horizon. She stopped, looking around. She was alone. A pain-filled howl
tore from her lips.

Tyra bolted up in the bed, panted breaths parting her lips.
Alone
.
She tossed the covers back and gripped the towel around her body as she ran for
the front door and threw it open. He was gone. She closed the door, her hand
trembling slightly as she engaged the lock. The nightmare had shaken her up.
That had to be it, because there was no way in hell Konrad’s absence could make
her feel this way. She refused to feel this way. Hell, she didn’t even know
him, so how in the hell could she miss him?

She sucked in a breath and marched toward her bedroom. What
had she expected? For his wolf form to still be curled in front of her door?
What a fool she would have made of herself if he had been. The nightmare always
left her chilled and vulnerable. If he would’ve offered comfort, she most
likely would’ve taken it, which would not do any good toward pushing him away.

She glanced at her alarm clock by the bed and blinked. Four
thirty in the afternoon. It had been forever since she’d slept late. She only
had an hour before she had to be at work. It would be best to forget about
Konrad and focus on her goals. Pushing away any stray thoughts of the nightmare
and Konrad, she crossed over to the closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a
shirt.

* * * * *

Konrad pulled into the parking lot of Harry’s Bar and
spotted his second-in-command, Luken, standing by the entrance. With a flick of
his wrist, he silenced the engine of his truck and opened the door. Konrad had
hated leaving Tyra during the day, but he had several meetings scheduled over
the next few days. He wanted everything to be in order when Thanasis signed
over the land.

Konrad approached Luken and clapped him on the shoulder.
“Thanks for keeping an eye on her.” Even though it had been hard to leave Tyra
earlier, knowing that Luken had been there to watch her had made it bearable.

“Not an issue.”

“Hey, if you don’t have plans, I’m buying,” Konrad said as
he pulled open the door to the establishment.

“Hell, if you’re buying then I’m in.” Luken smiled, leading
the way inside.

“How did I know you wouldn’t pass up free beer?” Konrad
replied with a smile of his own as he followed Luken through the door. Loud
country music mixed with the dull roar of the night’s crowd. It didn’t take
long for him to spot Tyra in the jam-packed room. She stood next to the bar,
loading a tray with drinks. Her long dark hair fell in a braid down her back. A
few tendrils had escaped and now swayed lightly at her nape. She paused in her
task and turned her head to look directly at him.

Konrad smiled as he held her green-eyed stare, but she
didn’t return his smile, instead she jerked her gaze back to the bar and
resumed loading the drinks on her tray. So much for her being happy to see him.
He followed Luken over to a high-top table in the corner and claimed the seat
that afforded him the best view of the bar. His gaze panned the interior,
taking in the full tables and crowded dance floor, before coming back to Tyra
as she made her way to a table. The red shirt she wore hugged her full breasts
and clung to her lean waist. Her jeans were tight, showing off her heart-shaped
backside to perfection. Several of the men in the bar had noticed as well,
casting lust-filled glances her way, making him want to permanently blind them.

A short, petite blonde woman approached their table,
balancing her empty drink tray on her hip. “What can I get the two of you?”

Konrad leaned closer so the woman would be able to hear him
above the noise. “We’d like it if Tyra took care of us, we don’t mind waiting.”

Frown lines formed across the blonde woman’s brow. “If you
want Tyra to wait on you, you’ll have to go sit in her section, and at the
moment it appears to be full.”

Konrad reached into his pocket and pulled out a fifty. “I’ll
give you fifty dollars to let us sit here and have Tyra wait on us.”

The waitress smiled and nabbed the fifty from his hand.
“I’ll send her right over.”

Luken shook his head, an amused grin lifting the corners of
his mouth.

“What?” When Luken didn’t reply, Konrad turned his attention
back to Tyra. She stood next to a table, placing three draft beers in front of
the three men seated at it. As she put the last one down, he noticed the guy
closest to her make a move to put his hand on her ass. He rose from his seat,
ready to pound the guy into the floor for daring to touch what was his. Luken
gripped his arm, staying him, just as Tyra gripped the offensive man’s hand and
twisted it, applying pressure that had the man leaning out of his chair to the
side. He couldn’t hear her rushed words, but he had a good feeling he knew
along what lines they were.

“Sit back down, Konrad. She handled it.”

Konrad glanced over his shoulder at Luken, and he released
his hold. Even though he still wanted to go knock the asshole’s lights out, he
went ahead and resumed his seat, his gaze following Tyra as she approached the
bar. The blonde waitress waved her over, and Tyra looked none too pleased when
the short woman pointed at his table.

Tyra ground her teeth as Julie went on excitedly about her
fifty-dollar tip. She should’ve known she wasn’t going to get rid of Konrad so
easy. He stared directly at her as he said something to the tall, dark-haired
man beside him. Both of them made a striking pair and more than one table of
ladies had noticed them. It took all she had not to spill a drink in one
woman’s lap as she had spelled out a wistful fantasy that had her doing body
shots with Konrad. It pissed her off that she even cared. He didn’t belong to
her, so he could do body shots with whomever he chose.

“You’re going to wait on them, aren’t you? I really want to
keep my fifty-dollar tip.”

Tyra turned her attention back to Julie, who looked up at
her with pale-blue eyes that silently begged. She knew the waitress had just
split up with her old man and really did need the money. “Yes, Julie, I’ll wait
on them.”

Julie giggled and did a small happy dance. “Thanks, Tyra.
And I noticed the one with the short hair keeps eyeing you, but could you see
if his friend is single, because that man looks totally yummy.”

Tyra rolled her eyes and laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“I owe you one.”

Tyra made her way toward the high-top Konrad sat at, thinking
Julie owed her more than one. She’d scented him the second he’d walked into the
place. Already her body buzzed as if she were some kind of junkie who needed
her Konrad fix. He had on a pair of dark dress slacks and a white button-up
shirt, sans the tie. The top two buttons had been unfastened, showing off the
tan skin, dusted with dark hair beneath. He made a stunning picture as he
continued to watch her. No, she definitely hadn’t missed him coming in. She
hadn’t missed him coming out of his chair a minute ago either. Royce didn’t
have a clue about how close he’d just come to losing a limb over his drunken
ass-grab move.

She arrived at their table and decided to cut straight to
the chase. “What are you doing here?”

The man beside Konrad hid a smile with his hand as he turned
to look toward the dance floor.

Konrad smiled. “Nice to see you again too, Tyra.”

Oh the things that smile did to her. A tickle started low in
her belly and she tried hard to ignore it. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for
you to be here.”

“We’re paying customers like everyone else,” Konrad said,
leaning back in his chair.

“I saw you get up a minute ago.” She watched as Konrad’s
tongue ran across his upper teeth beneath his lip.

“I didn’t touch him.” His lips tipped up in a smile, chalk
full of mock innocence.

“Yeah, but you wanted to.”

“Damn straight. And he better heed your warning if he wants
to leave here with all his limbs intact.” Konrad continued to smile.

Amusement won out and Tyra couldn’t hold back the grin.
“Who’s your friend?” Tyra turned her gaze to the man sitting across from
Konrad. As if on cue, the man turned to face her, no longer needing to pretend
he wasn’t sitting there. Milk-chocolate eyes stared back at her. His long dark
hair flowed past his shoulders, hitting the middle of his back. She could
definitely see why Julie said he was yummy. His high cheekbones and olive skin
tone spoke of Native American heritage.

“This is Luken, my second. Luken, my mate, Tyra.”

Tyra turned to stare at Konrad. “According to you.”

Konrad’s lips parted to say something, but he stopped as a
table across the room called her name. She turned and noticed their raised
empty glasses. Her gaze went back to Konrad. “I can’t really talk right now.
What can I get y’all?”

They ordered a couple domestic drafts and she walked away
from them, waving at her other table to let them know she would get their
refills as well. Maybe if she was lucky he would leave after he finished his
beer, but she had a major feeling that was only wishful thinking. Good thing
the bar closed at midnight on weekdays. It would only be another two and a half
hours ’til last call. A very long two and a half hours under the weight of
Konrad’s stare.

She quickly gave her orders to the bartender and loaded her
tray, stopping first at the table that had called out her name before making
her way across the room toward her troublesome wolf. His gaze danced with
mischief, which should have warned her. She placed the first frosted mug in
front of Luken, and had barely sat the second in front of Konrad before he
gripped her arm gently, pulling her closer to him. She was about to protest,
but then he slid his hand into the back pocket of her jeans. Her words died a
quick death as the flames of desire began to kindle.

His hand slid slowly out of her pocket as he inhaled a deep
breath before whispering near her ear, “Keep the change.”

She took a step back as his hold loosened on her arm. The
satisfied smile spreading across his face irritated her. She knew he’d scented
the effect he’d had on her, but the brazen move had affected him too, the scent
of his own desire lacing each breath she pulled in. She turned, moving across
the bar to check on her other tables, but she didn’t miss Luken’s statement.

“Damn, I was hoping she’d put the smack-down on you, like
she did the other guy. Now that would’ve been entertaining as hell.”

A laugh bubbled up inside her. She was too far away, with
the noise of the rowdy patrons, to hear Konrad’s reply.

The next two and a half hours went by fast. Tyra had been
too busy to chit chat anymore with Konrad and Luken, and every time she brought
them new drinks, she stayed safely on Luken’s side of the table, which had
amused them both. But she couldn’t risk getting close to him again. She needed
to function and do her job, and the way he made her feel wasn’t conducive to
thinking straight.

Her physical reaction to him irritated her, and made her
wonder how long her heat cycle would last. That had to be it. She didn’t think
she could face it being a true mate bond between her and him. Her heart felt
heavy as she thought about the loss that could be felt by having a pack—by
having a family. If she didn’t have those things, then no one could take them
from her. So it had to be her heat cycle. Maybe if she would just find someone
to work out her frustrations with, she would feel better. Problem was, the only
person that came to mind when she thought about the option was Konrad.

She slammed the empty mug down on the bar with a little too
much force, which had Mark, the bartender, looking at her, his dark brow
furrowed.