The Purrfect Stranger (2 page)

“Ever feel magic sparks off him?” Her answer seemed important to Keith, so she thought about it before answering.

“Nope. Not a single one.”

“Then I guess not all
were
have what you describe.” He seemed interested now. “Of course, I’ve always been a little different than the other members of my Clan.”

She knew how that felt. She nodded understandingly. “Me too.”

“Really?” Mild interest turned to intrigue in his gaze.

“I come from one of the most magical families in the world, but I…” she was really ashamed to admit this, but he was easy to talk to and he might understand, “…I have very little magic of my own. I’m sort of the black sheep of the family. A bit of a disgrace, actually.”

“You’re kidding me.” The look on his handsome face said he was being honest. She trusted her instincts where this man was concerned. Why? She had no idea.

“I’m afraid not. Otherwise, someone would have married me by now, simply because of my bloodlines. It’s kind of a coup to be related to Clan Faber in magical circles. But nobody wanted a powerless wife.” And didn’t that sound pitiful? “So I date humans,” she added quickly, to make herself sound less pathetic. “The Clan would probably let me go to someone non-magical. I think they’ve given up on me, to be honest.” He’d never know how much those words cost her in pride.

But that was the beauty of him. He really didn’t know. Any magic user would understand her disgrace right away, but to Keith, she was just another woman. Magic didn’t matter to him as much. Or…maybe it mattered in a bad way. Maybe if she’d had more magic, he wouldn’t have been able to deal with her. Being non-magical was better than having magic around someone who didn’t trust mages. And she was pretty certain Keith didn’t trust mages. She’d gotten that much from his earlier revelation.

“I’m a bit of an outsider too,” he admitted, probably trying to make her feel more comfortable. He was nice that way. He had kind eyes. “My mother died when I was small. My father was devastated by her loss and never talked much about her. She had some magic blood in her though, and that probably accounts for some of the things I can do that the other members of my Clan can’t.”

“Really? Like what?” Now she was intrigued.

“I sense things. Magical things, mostly. Traps and the like. They use me for scouting.”

With those few words, he revealed a great deal, if she was reading the connotations correctly. All shifters had some magic. She knew that much from her early training. But if even the shifters thought Keith’s gift was special, it had to mean something.

“So you’re the magical version of a bomb sniffing dog?” She gasped as she said it, hoping he wouldn’t take offense. Only on hearing the words coming out of her mouth did she realize they could be taken as an insult. But Keith laughed.

“I like that,” he said between chuckles. “And it’s somewhat accurate. Though I can usually detect things in either form. And I’m a cat. Not a dog.” He shook his head, still clearly amused as he continued eating.

“I’m sorry that mages have caused you problems in the past. If it’s any consolation, my family doesn’t usually get involved in politics. They only teach others how to use their magic and there are ethics requirements for every magic user they train. Unfortunately, not everyone adheres to the high ethical standards my family tries to instill.”

“At least now I know why Bill has kept me from meeting his girlfriend for so long. It’s not like him not to bring her around to Clan gatherings. I guess he was trying to keep me from sniffing out her magic.” He shrugged. “Can’t wait to tell the poor bastard the jig is up.”

“If you never met Suzy, how did you end up as my blind date? She vouched for you and everything. Why would she do that if she didn’t know you?”

“Probably because she’s in love with my cousin and trusts his judgment? I doubt he thought it through that clearly, though he had to know bringing a magic user into the Clan would be a bit of a problem. Maybe he wanted me to meet one of his girlfriend’s friends outside the pressures of a Clan get together.”

“Will their differences keep them apart?” Valerie was worried. She didn’t want to ruin Suzy’s love life. She liked the way Bill treated her cousin and wanted to see them both happy. Though it would take some getting used to, knowing that Bill was a cougar shifter.

“No, not really. It shouldn’t, anyway. Suzy’s been good for him. We all see it. Werecats aren’t as prejudiced as some other Clans. There aren’t that many of us and most end up mating outside the Clan.” He looked uncomfortable for a moment. “Very few end up with magic users, though. We don’t often mix, as you probably well know.”

“My parents would have a cow if they knew Suzy was dating a shifter. Her parents are a bit more broad minded though. Her mom is the Faber. Her mom and my dad are siblings.” She explained as they ate. “Her dad’s form of magic is sort of an odd one. He’s more empathic than outright magical, you could say.” Valerie thought about it as she spoke, having never really verbalized her uncle’s differences from the rest of the clan before. “He’s still exceptionally powerful and can use his form of empathy to get right inside someone’s psyche. Which is why he only takes on special students and then only if they meet his very strict moral code. He’s responsible for discipline among all the students and nobody wants to get on his bad side, though he’s always been incredibly kind to me. More so than anyone else in my family, actually.” She shrugged. “I guess her parents know about Bill. If any Faber would accept the mixed relationship for their kids, it would be them.”

She smiled, thinking of her aunt and uncle, two of her favorite people in the world. Their home had always been a haven for her when she needed it.

“That’s good to hear.” She looked up and was surprised to see a look of relief cross Keith’s handsome features. “I’ve never known Bill to stay with one woman so long. He hasn’t admitted it yet, but I think she’s his mate.”

“Mate?” Valerie was interested in the significance he put on the word. “I’ve heard only vague references to shifter mating. Is that like marriage?”

“It’s a bond stronger than marriage. You can divorce a spouse. You can never part from a mate. In the matings I have witnessed, there’s never any thought to one mate leaving the other. Not if they’re true mates.”

“But how do you know? How do you recognize him or her?” That was something that had always puzzled her, the few times she’d heard talk of such things.

“Many of us know the moment we meet our destined mate. The wolves say they can smell it. The scent of their mate makes the wolf inside stand up and take notice. A lot of cat shifters claim it’s the taste of their mate that either drives kitty wild or pacifies him. Or both, depending on the occasion.” He winked and she felt a strange heat slide over her senses.

She didn’t know what to say to that. Fighting a blush and failing, she looked down at her plate, surprised to find that she was nearly finished with her meal. A quick glance at Keith’s side of the table showed that he was done with his steak as well.

As if conjured by the realization, the waiter appeared at her elbow to remove the empty plates. Silence reigned while the human waiter did his job. Keith led the way in ordering a sinful desert and Valerie was in a devil-may-care mood of her own. She ordered the crème brulee and cappuccino, giving into temptation.

That seemed to be a theme for the night. Temptation was sitting directly across the table from her and if he gave the slightest invitation, she knew she would give in. She was practically panting to give in.

“So do you just go around randomly licking women to see if you can find your mate?” She lifted her wine glass to her lips, savoring the bite of the crisp white against her tongue.

Where was this flirtatious coyness coming from? She’d certainly never said anything like that to a man before. Maybe there was something to be said for this taking a walk on the wild side, as her cousin suggested. Keith, the sexy cat shifter certainly seemed to be bringing the female animal out in Valerie.

Keith laughed out loud at her playful banter and sipped his own wine. He’d ordered a peppery red to go with his steak, which she found intriguing. If she’d had to guess before sharing a meal with him, she would’ve pegged him for a suds man. But she was learning she’d been wrong about a lot of things where shifters were concerned.

Keith knew his wines. Did he know his women as well? She’d just bet he did. A man as sexy as this one was probably well acquainted with the fair sex. He certainly knew how to wine and dine her. And she was quickly falling under his spell.

“I’d like to think my technique is a little more refined than that,” he admitted with a sly smile that nearly stole her breath.

“So what do you do then?” She couldn’t believe how daring she was being.

He reached across the table and took her hand in his. The warmth of his fingers and the curious little zaps of magical energy that leapt between her palm and his made her want to squirm in her seat.

“I’ll tell you, but I want you to answer a question first.” His gaze dared her to follow him into the unknown.

“What’s your question?” Where was all her bravado coming from? Inside, she was shaking like a leaf, but outwardly, she strove to maintain her cool.

“How do witches know when they’ve met the warlock of their dreams?”

She wished she knew. Never in her life had she ever experienced first-hand the symptoms her friends had reported. Not once had she felt the blissful meshing of magical energies.

Although…

“Their magics spark off each other and twine together. One is usually stronger, but in a perfect union—like that of my aunt and uncle—the stronger protects and nurtures the weaker until they are both more powerful together than either one was apart. I’m told it’s something rare and beautiful, but few mages are so blessed. Most of the marriages in my clan, for example, are arranged based on political expediencies. Few of my parents’ generation got to find their soul mate like Aunt Marge and Uncle Featherstone.”

“Maybe it’s time to upset the apple cart,” Keith suggested with a wry smile. His thumb began to trace a pattern over the back of her hand, making her shiver before she could censor her reaction. “How does that feel? Does it tingle?” His query was laced with aroused interest.

“Yes,” she whispered, looking downward at their joined hands.

If she invoked her magesight—the special vision that allowed a magic user to literally see magic—she would see little sparks of magic bouncing between and around their clasped hands, writhing and twining, the way she imagined their bodies would do if she ever got him into her bed. That was becoming more imperative with every passing second.

“Can you See it?”

His words shocked her gaze back to his, but he was looking at their hands too. His eyes were slightly unfocused in a way that resembled someone using magesight.

“Can you?” She was shocked. She’d never heard of a shifter being able to use magic the way her people did. “Is that normal for a shifter?”

“Normal for me, I guess.” He shrugged, pulling back, removing his hand from hers and retreating to his own side of the table. She’d broken the spell with her question and kicked herself mentally for it.

She watched, not knowing what to say as he signaled the waiter for the check and went through the motions of paying the bill. Apparently their dinner was over.

As he escorted her to the door she hardened her resolve with every step. No way was she letting him get away that easily. Not when she was attracted to a man for the first time in who knows how long.

He opened the door, politely letting her precede him out and she went quietly, biding her time. She planned to confront him, but she had to pick her moment.

“Are you parked in the lot?” Those were the first words he’d spoken to her since leaving the table.

Valerie stopped him in his tracks with a simple hand on his arm. He turned toward her, his expression hard to read. The look in his eyes, however, was…intense.

Her breath caught in her chest and she took a moment to gather her wits. Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage too.

“Do you really want this night to end here?” Damn, that was ballsy. Especially for someone who had never propositioned a man before in her life.

Fire ignited in the back of his gaze. “What did you have in mind?”

“A nightcap?” She slid her hand down his arm to take his hand. “Maybe at my place?”

Keith stepped closer, right into her personal space. She didn’t mind in the least.

“I’d like that.” He moved closer, lowering his head. His lips were inches from hers and moving closer.

She didn’t object. She wanted this. She wanted him. No time for coyness. She wanted him to know that if he came back to her place, he’d be staying until morning. At least, that was her plan. Now all she had to do was get him to go along with it.

The first touch of his lips to hers was all it took to spin her mind into a foggy place where all she could do was feel. Feel his incredibly muscular body pressing into hers. Feel his mouth seducing her senses. Feel the tingles of magic sparking all up and down her body, twining with his innate shifter magic in some indefinable way.

She was lost. And it was only a kiss. The lightest brushing of lips and tongue.

She opened her mouth at his coaxing and then the real fun began. Little explosions of charged particles danced along her skin. It tickled in the most delicious way. She’d never felt anything like it before. And she wanted more. Much more.

Chapter Three

Damn if the little witch didn’t taste like someone he wanted to know better. No.
Needed
to know better. Much, much better.

The cougar inside him started to purr and a moment later he realized he felt the rumble in his chest. In his
human
chest. Sweet Mother of All.

He drew back, stunned.

He’d heard about the mythic phenomenon, but never thought it could be true. He never thought he would meet a woman who could make him purr in human form. It was said, such a woman was a cat shifter’s true mate. But it was rare. Damn rare. So rare that until this very moment, he’d thought it was only a story.