Unfortunately, she had no idea if it was a pill, an injection or a liquid. She was leaning toward pills, when the phone rang interrupting her thoughts.
Even though she wasn't feeling very sociable, she picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“Nyx, how are you sweetheart?” Now that Onyx knew what Marie had planned for her, the kind, motherly voice she had always loved sounded sinister.
“I'm fine.” Onyx answered carefully.
“Well, dear, we were hoping you'd come over tomorrow to discuss some things.”
Why was Marie intentionally being so vague? Two could play that game. “What sort of things?” Onyx asked with complete innocence.
“About your parents' estate. We need to arrange to have the house paid off for you so you don't have to worry about anything,” Marie explained with false sweetness.
Onyx looked around at the only home she had ever known. She didn't think she'd be able to stay here any longer. She would miss her home, but her freedom was more important. If she could dodge the Edmunds until after Halloween, after her heat, maybe she could talk some sense into them and get them to see reason. The problem was, where would she go? She had no close friends outside of Catcall Falls.
“Nyx, are you there?”
She must have drifted off and missed part of the conversation. “I'm here.”
“Are you lonely, dear? You shouldn't be alone in the house. Why don't you come stay here?”
“No, I'm fine.” Good god, that's the last place she wanted to be.
“Well, why don't I come stay with you?”
“No! No, I mean, thank you, but I need a little time alone surrounded by Mom and Dad's things.”
“Well, if you're sure...” Onyx swore she heard Wilson's voice in the background. This was bad. She needed to get off the phone and get the hell out of here.
“I'll come by tomorrow first thing in the morning.” Maybe that would satisfy Marie.
“Okay, we'll see you then.”
Not bloody likely.
Onyx finally hung up the phone. The need to get out of there as fast as possible hit her full force. She snatched a duffle bag from her closet and packed a few essentials. Clothes, some toiletries, extra sneakers. Her school books were still in the car. She pounded down the stairs into the kitchen and grabbed some food. The black cat cookie jar that sat on top of the refrigerator caught her attention. Her mother had kept spare cash in that jar for as long as Onyx could remember. Sure, enough, she pulled out enough for a couple of days on the road.
She wandered into her father's den where his recliner dominated the room. No matter how many times her mother begged, he would not let it go. Onyx went to it and ran her hands over the smooth leather. She sunk into its cushiony embrace, remembering all the times her father had held her and read to her in this very spot when she was little. She slid her hand down to put the recliner back. Just for a minute, she needed to feel close to her father. Her hand accidentally slid into the side pocket of the chair and something hard brushed her fingers. She grabbed and pulled. It was a thin notebook full of her mother's handwriting. Her mother? As far as Onyx knew, her mother never sat in this chair. Why would she keep something of hers in it? Onyx sat up and ruffled through the pages. It appeared to be a diary. She hadn't known her mother kept one.
The book? Could this be the book Marie was looking for? What could her mother have written that Marie was so desperate to get her hands on? She clutched the book in her arms, her last connection to her mother. She needed to get the book somewhere safe where she could read it in peace. She grabbed the book and her bags, then headed out the door.
Bessie was on the front step.
“Jeez! You scared the shit out of me!” Onyx jumped and stepped back, placing her hand over her heart.
Bessie frowned and touched Onyx's arm. “Mrs. Edmunds sent me over to check on you.”
Shit. Could Bessie be in on this too?
If Bess was in on this, Onyx needed to throw her off the track. She steeled herself and offered what she hoped was a casual, “I'm good.”
“Where are you going at this hour?”
“Nowhere. Just putting some stuff in my car for tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow's Saturday.” Bessie shot her a skeptical look.
“I know. I'm meeting my study group at a diner near campus.” There was no diner near campus, but Onyx was hoping Bessie didn't know that. As soon as the words were out of her mouth she regretted them. Bessie's parents owned a diner, they probably knew of every single one in a hundred mile radius.
“I never understood why you liked school work so much.”
Onyx shrugged, hoping she still looked relaxed.
“Well, I guess I'll head home then.”
“Thanks, Bessie, for being such a good friend.” Onyx reached out and hugged her. Bess was stiff in her arms at first, but then returned the hug.
That was weird.
She wanted to be long gone before anyone else showed up, so she hopped in the car. Thankfully, it started right away. Part of her had been afraid someone might have tampered with it so she couldn't leave.
Now you're just being paranoid.
Now the problem was, where was she supposed to go? There weren't many motels around this area. Using her credit cards was probably a bad idea in case the Edmunds could trace it somehow. The library on campus was as good a place as any. She could sleep in her car, and then hang out in the library during the day. Even if they figured out where she was, they wouldn't come here and cause a scene. Would they?
Onyx didn't know. Fear and exhaustion weighed her down. Confusion swirled around with the other emotions.
Why did her parents have to leave her all alone?
The rapping of knuckles on her window jarred her awake the next morning.
“Onyx?”
She blinked, stretched, and sat up. Her body tingled all over, especially her nipples. An odd, but not unpleasant sensation. She looked out the window to see Professor Radcliff leaning down to peer in the window. She turned the key in the ignition so she could put the window down.
“What are you doing here? Did you sleep in your car?” Oh, God had his voice always sounded like raw sex?
“I, uh, wanted to get a head start on some research. What are you doing here?” She always imagined he spent the weekends lounging in bed with a beautiful woman, reading the paper; visiting the farmers market to pick up ingredients for a fancy dinner he would prepare for his woman. Not hanging out at the library. Although today he was dressed more informally than she had ever seen him with a zip-up River Edge U hoodie and track pants. He looked younger and so damn sexy her mouth watered. What was wrong with her?
Her body demanded she get closer to his. She opened the car door and stepped out. The magnetic pull she felt was almost tangible. By the way he looked at her, she knew he felt it too.
“What's happening?” she asked.
He sighed and shook his head. “Tell me why you're really here.”
“You won't believe me.”
He chuckled. “One of the classes I teach is on Medieval Magic, try me.”
“I need to...hide from some friends of the family.” There, that expressed her urgency without having him think she was crazy.
“Why do you need to hide from people who are supposed to be your friends?”
He wasn't going to make this easy for her.
“Do we have to talk about this here?” she glanced around nervously as she imagined Marie or Wilson popping up and dragging her back home.
“Where would you like to go—the library?”
“No.” She shook her head at his offer. “I don't want people to overhear.”
He sighed again. “Leave your car here. You can come to my place. Tell me the story over breakfast.”
Slick move, professor.
Inviting Onyx to his house was begging for trouble. His house for fuck’s sake. Where we will be all alone. Where he had a king-sized bed he’d love to introduce her to.
>
She’s your student.
He knew she sensed their strange attraction. She'd be going into heat soon, if she wasn't already. Werecat biology wasn’t a perfect science. Besides their professor/student relationship, there was the matter of were/magic and the fact that obviously her clan was after her for some reason. The last thing he needed to do was fend off a pack of pissed-off werecats. These days he only practiced his magic on inconsequential things. He wanted to continue living a quiet life away from the politics of the magical community. But, Onyx looked so pitiful and defenseless huddled in her car. Her vulnerability touched him. He wanted to help her. Not molest her. He could control himself.
Yup, he was definitely insane and also in denial. Who was he kidding? He could hardly control himself around her when they were in a classroom setting. How was he going to control himself when she was in his house?
Easy, your job is to protect her, take care of her, and send her on her way.
Good luck with that.
At least he knew she would be safe under his magical protection. No one in her clan would think to look for her at his house. Her car was still on campus, so even if they found it, they would be scouring the campus looking for her instead of his tiny house a few blocks away. She would be safe with him.
Keep telling yourself that, buddy.
The little bungalow was tucked away from the street, hidden by trees and what she suspected were large flowering bushes in the summer that would give the home additional camouflage. She glimpsed a room full of books, which really didn't surprise her. He sat her down at the kitchen table. The open window over the kitchen sink let in a sweet, fragrant breeze.
“Well, no one's here. Tell me what you’re running from, Onyx.” He certainly wasted no time. He busied himself at the stove, where he had eggs, cheese, and vegetables spread out on the counter. He’s stripped off his hoodie when they came inside. The T-shirt underneath clung to his muscular back and arms in ways she couldn’t stop noticing.
He kept his back toward her while he fixed breakfast. That was fine with hr. Letting her story out would be easier if he wasn't facing her.
“You know about my parents' death.”
“Yes.” She watched the back of his head nod. “How are you coping?”
A single tear slid down her cheek. “I'm okay. It's just. Their death. It changed me.”
“Go on.” He folded the omelet and slid it on to a plate and set it in front of her. Before he sat down, he poured her a glass of orange juice. The glass felt cold, but solid in her hand.
She took a sip and made a face. “I hate pulp.”
“Noted.”
“Do you believe in were-animals?”
“I believe in many things.”
Surprised by his easy answer, she lifted her gaze to meet his penetrating blue eyes. “When my parents died, it...triggered something in me. I can change into a cat. At will.” She wasn't sure why she added that last part. Certainly the “changing into a cat” part was sufficient.
The expression on his face was not what she expected. It was calm and serene. He didn't blink or even twitch. “Show me.”
There was no point in arguing. Of course he would want proof. She closed her eyes and concentrated; remembering what her cat form looked like in the mirror.
“Mwraarr.” Satisfied?
She expected him to get up, shout, exclaim, do something, but he just sat there watching her. She raised her paw and swatted at his leg. He reached down and gently petted between her ears.
“Can you change back?”
She went over and climbed into her clothes. No way was she going to be naked in front of him. Although, now that she thought of it, the idea was sort of appealing. What if he petted her the way he had just rubbed her cat form? But instead of behind her ears, somewhere else?
She shifted into human form, half in her clothes and half out, sitting on the floor. He had the courtesy to turn away.
“You don't seem very surprised,” she said when she was decent.
“Maybe I have secrets of my own.”
“Are you a werecat too?” She couldn't keep the hopeful sound out of her voice.
He sighed and turned around to face her. “No, Onyx, but I've known about the shifters for a long time. I'm a sorcerer.”
“Really? Can you make me fully human again?” She didn't realize how much she wanted to be rid of this cat curse until the words flew out of her mouth.
He shook his head and gave her a pitying look. “No, I can't. I'm sorry.”
Well, it was worth a try. She lifted herself from the floor and sat in the chair she had vacated earlier. “That's okay. It's kind of fun, I guess.” Tears threatened to fall, but she shrugged them off. She was so damn tired of crying.
“So tell me the rest of it.”
The rest of it. There wasn't much, yet there was a lot.
“My Aunt Marie, well she's not really my aunt. Just my mother's best friend. Was my mother's best friend.” As she was speaking something occurred to her. “My Uncle Wilson is the Alpha of our...clowder. Marie is his wife. They say I have to mate with their son, Denny. We've been friends since childhood. I don't want to mate with him. I overheard them planning to force the mating, when I...” She trailed off and realized she was blushing. It was hard to get the words out, the whole situation was so mortifying.
“I think I know where you're going with this. Your first heat will coincide with Halloween. It's a sacred holiday for shifters and magic makers alike. It is imperative that it occur now.”
“Yes, that's the impression I got. I don't think Denny even knows.”
“Probably not. Their plan was most likely to just throw you together and let nature take over.” Cole's soft tone took a little of the sting out of his words.
“Yes. You're right.” She hung her head in shame. Would she be so unable to control herself? What kind of mindless creature would this curse reduce her to?
“You can hide here until after Halloween. My magic will protect you. Then I'll try to smuggle you out of the area where you'll be safe.”
His words lifted a great weight off her shoulders. “Thank you.”
5
Once Onyx settled down, she was able to amuse herself. They played a few board games. Naturally, Cole was a formidable opponent. The gardens behind the house enchanted her. In all her day dreams about Professor Radcliff, she never imagined him gardening.
“Professor Radcliff, I've never seen gardens this beautiful,” she confided to him.
“Cole. You can call me Cole here.”
A thrill went through her at the thought of calling him by his first name. She tried to suppress her giddiness. “Where did you learn to garden like this?”
His mouth quirked into a playful smirk. “A little magic is involved,” he confessed.
Their eyes locked and she felt that tug again. Her body desperately wanted to be closer to him. She took a few steps in his direction. He stood rock still, and for a moment she thought he stopped breathing.
“What is this? Do you feel it too?” Their bodies were so close they were almost touching, and she could feel the heat radiating from his skin.
“Yes,” he said with a weary sigh. “I've felt it for a long time whenever you were near.”
“Really?” She was beyond thrilled that he had noticed her in that way.
“It's your magic calling to mine.”
“Oh.” Well, that didn't sound very sexy.
“You seem disappointed.”
She shook her head. “No. Not disappointed.” Devastated, is more like it.
“You look tired. Let me show you the guest room,” he suggested.
Guest room? Sure, that only made sense. What did she think; he was going to invite her into his bed? He obviously didn't see her that way.
“Thank you.” She answered, because it was the polite thing to do, but she couldn't help the regret that tugged at her heart.
Dear God, this was worse than Cole feared.
A flimsy door separated him from the woman he’d had a lot of inappropriate fantasies about for the last two years.
Having Onyx in his house. So close. It physically hurt not to touch her. Not to invite her into his bed. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such a strong reaction to a woman.
It’s just the magic.
He could keep telling himself that all night long. And yes, that was part of it. The other part he couldn’t deny was the attraction her felt toward Onyx the first day she’d shown up in his class. Her beauty, yes. Of course he noticed her striking eyes right away. Her body, definitely did a number on him. But then she’d opened her mouth. She was intelligent, inquisitive, and had a way of absorbing everything he taught that made him feel heroic.
He wanted to be her hero.
And that was dangerous. For both of them.
6
Onyx woke sometime the next day with a fever. Burning, so hot, she ached all over; especially her nether regions. Something had to be wrong. The flu? Some exotic disease named after a bird?
Her nipples were so tight, they strained against her shirt, making her very uncomfortable. She clawed the shirt off her body. Her shorts, too. That felt better. She ran her hands over her her sides, down her belly, and it seemed to soothe some of the ache. Moaning touched her ears. When she heard a knock on the door, she realized the moans were from her throat.
The knock came again. More insistent this time.
Cole.
Cole wanted to know if she was okay.
Meow!
Not one bit ashamed of her nudity, she hurried to the door and opened it. She angled her body in a provocative way in the door frame.
“Dear God! Onyx, I wanted to make sure you were okay.” He turned his head, but she saw the way his pants tented at the sight of her, felt the heat radiating off his body.
“I don't feel well, Professor. I'm hot and achy.” Her voice came out so low she almost didn’t recognize it.