B005EMAYWS EBOK Page 2

  “What’s wrong?” Anton asked.

  Shaking her head, she told him, “I have to go. I’m sorry.”

  Summer stepped around the apparition and headed for the bar where her purse sat next to Penny. Trembling, she reached for her bag, but Anton’s large hand was on hers - stopping her.

  “Summer … what is wrong?” he asked again.

  Penny looked up. She must have noticed the troubled expression on Summer’s face because she turned to Anton and narrowed her eyes.

  “What are you up to?” Penny asked him.

  “He hasn’t done anything.” Summer tried to reassure them with a smile. “I just have to go. I don’t feel so good.”

  Smiling weakly, she looked at Anton. “It was good to see you again.”

  Walking away, she turned to speak over her shoulder. “Penny … I’ll see you at home later.”

  Penny waved, but she was obviously disturbed by Summer’s unexpected departure.

  * * *

  Anton watched Summer as she threaded her way through the flashing lights of the machines and toward the casino’s exit.

  Exotic. It was the only word that came to mind as his eyes followed her every movement. She was as graceful as a cat. The silky white cocktail dress she was wearing complimented her smooth - sun kissed skin perfectly. Her golden-brown hair hung like a silk curtain around her shoulders, swaying as she walked.

  Yes she was exotic, but she was also headstrong and stubborn.

  Anton had to keep reminding himself of this, along with the fact that he was here to escort her to her family and fiancé. If he thought about her too long, he would remember how it felt to dance with her - how it felt to have his hand on her hip and her arms around his neck.

  He banished the memory from his thoughts. Anton couldn’t recall the last time he’d actually felt shaken by the nearness of a woman. He reasoned it was probably just shock at seeing little Summer as a grown woman. After all, the last time he’d seen her she’d been a teenager, though she’d tried hard to convince him that she was a woman.

  When he could no longer see her, Anton felt his common sense return. Something was wrong. He sensed that strongly. It could possibly be her reluctance to marry, but he didn’t think that was all there was to it.

  “So how long have you known her?” Penny asked.

  Anton had forgotten all about the woman. He looked over at her, shocked to see her still sitting at the bar. Summer’s friend was not unattractive, but she seemed a little too overdone. Her short bleach-blond hair was worn in a wild array of sharp spikes. Her lips painted a deep red and covered with shiny gloss. Penny’s blue eyes were almost obscured by the dark shadow and liner she wore. Her black dress was much shorter than the dress Summer had been wearing.

  Anton had been so busy sizing the woman up that he had forgotten to answer her. She was staring at him as if he were the most bizarre person she’d ever met.

  “Since she was a child,” he finally answered.

  “So I take it you’re not an old flame?”

  “No.” Anton shook his head. “Why … does she have many of them?”

  Penny’s laughter reminded him of tinkling chimes. “Oh Summer has broken a few hearts.”

  “I don’t doubt that,” he smiled.

  Penny moved to the barstool that Summer had occupied. “So are you in the mood for some company?”

  She was coming on to him strong, and his male instincts didn’t miss it. Anton’s eyes roamed over the woman’s curvy body and immediately his thoughts went to how it felt to have Summer in his arms while they danced.

  “I’m fine,” he told her, looking away. He didn’t like where his thoughts were leading him at the moment.

  It had been a while since he’d enjoyed the feel of a woman’s body against his bare skin. Since Lex was no longer the leader of the Zen, he was now free to enjoy the company of a human female. But he’d done so only on rare occasions, and then only when he’d gone a very long time without indulging his needs.

  Some did it often, but Anton always felt a little as if he were taking advantage of them - taking from them without being able to give back. Though Lex’s mandate about mating with the human female had been eradicated, the Zen still could not marry or take a life mate.

  Tonight was one of those times when the longing to feel a woman’s flesh was nearly strong enough to override his morals. The problem was that when he thought of indulging his need, it was Summer’s face he saw.

  Again he slammed the door on the thought and changed the subject. “What was wrong with Summer tonight?” he asked Penny.

  Penny blushed. It was apparent that she’d completely forgotten about her friend. “I don’t know. She is acting odd.”

  Anton thought that Summer had acted more than just a little peculiar. She’d acted like she was frightened out of her wits.

  Something was wrong!

  * * *

  The bright and colorful lights that illuminated the exterior of the casino helped to light her way as she searched for her car in the crowded parking lot. There were hundreds of cars, but there wasn’t another soul in sight. The sound of her heels of her shoes tapping against the blacktop was loud - echoing through the silent jungle of automobiles. She couldn’t remember where she’d parked, but she knew it hadn’t been too far from the entrance.

  Out of the corner of her eye she caught the fleeting movement of shadow. She stopped in her tracks, waiting to catch another glimpse. Though she could not take the form of the wolf, she still had the wolf’s blood and she could sense danger.

  She was being hunted, but by who or what? No human could move that fast.

  A shiver ran down her spine, but she forced herself to move forward. Summer wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.

  Finally she spotted her small red sports car a few rows back from the building. She quickly walked in that direction. Her hands still shaking, she fumbled with the remote to unlock the doors. Once inside, Summer hit the lock button on the door before digging into her handbag for her mobile phone. Her hands were shaking so badly that she had trouble hitting the right buttons, but she finally managed to press the speed dial button for Sanders.

  “Doctor Saunders … this is Summer Gray Eagle,” she said as soon as she heard him pickup.

  “Hello Summer.” He sounded tired and a little groggy.

  “I’m sorry for waking you, but I need to know about that girl that’s missing. What was her name again?”

  “The name’s Bridget Pearson. Why … what’s up?” His voice was suddenly alert, all traces of sleepiness gone.

  Summer groped for a way to tell him about her suspicions, without sounding too crazy. “I was thinking about it tonight, and I have this strange feeling that she is in a closet. It could also be a coffin or tomb. I think she’s locked away somewhere.”

  “I know that your strange feelings are usually pretty good, but I don’t see how that would help us. There must be thousands of places in the Reno area that fit that description.”

  What he said was true, but she knew there had to be a reason why Bridget had tried to bring attention to her hands. It reminded her of a story she’d once heard about a girl who had been buried alive. For some reason the body had been exhumed. When the coffin was opened, they found deep gouge marks in the lid. Summer squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the terrifying vision of Bridget Pearson being buried alive.

  Her voice shook when she tried to talk. “I … I don’t know. I just think that the police should check the cemeteries for signs of disturbed graves.”

  “Are you okay girl?” he asked with concern.

  “Yeah … just a disturbing night, that’s all.”

  “I’ll pass along your thoughts to Detective Pierce, but he already thinks you’re off your rocker.”

  “I know,” she sighed.

  “If you’re sure you’re okay … I’d like to get back to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, okay,” Summer told hi
m before hanging up.

  She should have waited until tomorrow to talk to him, but she’d freaked out when she saw that girl. Through the summer she had been helping Warren Saunders with some of his criminal cases. He was the local expert on criminal psychology, and known for his skill in homicide investigations. The local police often consulted him, as they had done with these latest homicides. Summer had been studying under him since she was an undergraduate. Even with both her education in criminal psychology, and her psychic ability, she just couldn’t seem to figure this killer out.

  They knew that when a victim was taken, it was only a matter of time before they’d find her body somewhere, and now there was another missing. All of the victims had been college girls, but so far that seemed to be the only connection.

  Saunders often asked her to help out with difficult cases because of her uncanny ability to feel things, and to flesh out the crime. He thought she was a gifted investigator, with the unique ability to get into the criminal mind. And though she had always been a good profiler, it was her other talent that helped her most of all. The talent that Summer never talked about. It was the one thing she’d inherited from her mother that she wasn’t so sure she wanted.

  Drained and tired, she stuck the key in the ignition, but before she could start the car, a dark shadow blocked the light from the driver’s side window. Summer couldn’t bring herself to look. A scream tore from her throat at the sound of a loud thud against the window.

  Chapter Two

  Fingers of thick fog crawled across the earth, as if it were alive. The scene was unsettling - even eerie. The forest was dark, but with his vampire eyes he could see well enough to find his way through the trees.

  In the distance, he could hear the howling of wolves. They were hunting, but they weren’t hunting him, at least not yet. Dash pushed ahead, unsure of where he was going. Every direction looked the same - nothing but shadows, trees and fog. Again he heard the wolves, and this time they were closer.

  Dash moved faster, his eyes piercing the darkness in search of a hiding place. He knew he must confront the wolves, but at the moment he was at too much of a disadvantage.

  The night was so still that when a twig snapped, it might as well have been thunder.

  Dash swung around to face whatever was stalking him. He didn’t dare twitch a muscle.

  They watched him. The ethereal glow of their yellow eyes stabbing through the fog. Now he was the prey and the wolves the predators.

  This was it. This was his moment of truth.

  The wolves were big - larger than the wolves found in nature. Dash estimated there to be about eight of them. They were all around him, and slowly moving in. There was no place to go but up. Raising his eyes to the trees, Dash wondered if he could get off the ground before the wolves pounced.

  He could hear their growls. Soft at first, but the snarls grew louder as the seconds ticked by. The instant he left the ground, they pounced - missing him by mere inches. Dash came to rest on a tree branch that was beyond the reach of the wolves. He could not be in the tree when the sun rose. The vampire was supposed to be immune on this side of the portal, but how could he chance it? He would just as soon acclimate slowly so there would be no real danger.

  From his vantage point, Dash watched as the wolves began to shift, their bodies twisting as they took the form of men. It would have been the best time for him to ascent into the air and disappear. Instead he sat there, transfixed by the image of these beings moving from one form of existence to another.

  The eight men stood around the tree, their eyes glowing with rage. The physique of the wolves was magnificent. They were a mass of sinewy muscle, covered by sleek skin. Dash could not help but be envious. The vampire was beautiful, but the wolves were magnificent specimens of nature. The Sungmanitu were one with nature.

  Dash came to his senses and began to lift off of the branch, but before he could get any speed, he felt a sharp sting in his leg. For the first time since turning, he lost control of his body, and then there was only oblivion.

  * * *

  When Summer heard the pounding on her car window, her first instinct had been to jump to the other side of the car and flee out the passenger door. It took a moment for her to see through her terror, and realize it was Anton knocking at the window.

  She sighed with relief.

  “Are you okay,” he asked loudly.

  Summer nodded.

  “Well can I talk to you?”

  Unlocking the doors, Summer motioned for him to get in. Anton walked around to the other side of the car and opened the door. It was almost comical to watch someone of his stature try and fit into her tiny car.

  “You going to make it?” she asked, trying not to smile.

  “Yes … it is a tight fit though,” he commented. Anton squeezed in and shut the door. His long legs were practically pulled up against his body so that he could fit.

  “Did you need a ride somewhere? Where are you staying?”

  “The Desert Skies Motel. It’s not far from your apartment.”

  Summer looked at him questioningly.

  “Your father told me where you lived. I’m not stalking you,” he assured her.

  “Okay … buckle up.” She started the car and backed out of her parking place. A moment later they were on Virginia Street and headed toward her apartment. Summer didn’t live far from the University. A mile from her apartment was the motel where Anton was staying.

  Desert Skies was somewhat of a joke among the students. Everyone knew that a few of the professors practically owned rooms at that motel. At least that’s what everyone believed. If Summer was seen at the motel, she’d get teased for sure. In reality, she didn’t know anyone that had gotten a good grade this way, so she figured it was probably more of a tall tale than anything.

  Curious, she asked, “How did you get to the casino?”

  “I drove.”

  Perplexed, Summer slowed the car. “Why did you need a ride then? Do you want me to take you back to your car?”

  Anton waved the suggestion aside. “I wanted time for us to talk … away from crowds. I’ll take a taxi to pick it up in the morning.”

  Barely slowing the car, Summer pulled into the parking lot of the motel. She looked over at Anton and saw that he was gripping the dash, a look of fear in his eyes.

  “Are you okay?” she asked with a giggle.

  “Yeah, now I am.”

  “So what did you want to talk about?”

  “Do you mind if we talk inside?” Anton struggled to extract himself from the passenger seat.

  She shrugged. “Sure, that’s fine.”

  Summer got out of the car and followed him into his room. When Anton switched on the bedside lamp, she saw that the inside was as old and tacky as the outside. There was a single chair, a doublewide bed, and a dresser. The TV was almost an antique.

  “Why didn’t you stay somewhere nicer?” she asked.

  “I wanted to be near your apartment.”

  “I see,” Summer commented. She really didn’t see why he’d had to stay close to her, but she liked the thought.

  “You’re welcome to sit,” he said, gesturing toward the chair.

  “Thanks,” Summer said as she sat down. “So what did you want to talk about?” She decided to get right to the point. There was no sense in keeping him stuck in Reno longer than necessary. It was not that she minded the visit, just the purpose of it.

  “Summer … your father has made it clear that he wants me to return with you,” Anton explained.

  The Sungmanitu were the Native American wolf people. The Vilka were a pack that originated in Eastern Europe. Though there had been peace between the two packs for generations, her father believed that a marriage would seal that peace for a long time to come. It was just her luck that she was the one chosen to marry the leader of the Vilkas.

  Both the Sungmanitu and the Vilka occupied the natural world, as well as Outerlands. There had never been a problem, at leas
t in her lifetime. She just didn’t feel that this marriage was necessary.

  Smiling, Summer shook her head. “I realize that my dad believes that this marriage contract is important for the Sungmanitu, but I also think there is another way to achieve what he wants … without me having to marry the leader of the Vilkas.”

  “I think if your father could give you your way about this, he would.”

  “Well … I love my father, but I can’t agree to this marriage. At least not right now. I’m still having too much fun,” Summer added with a sly smile.

  Sighing, Anton sat on the side of the bed. “Summer you are not a child anymore. Fun is not an option.”

  “That’s right, I’m not a child any longer,” Summer agreed. “That is why I will be making my own decisions from here on out. I’m twenty-two years old now.”

  “I had hoped I would not have to use force to take you back … but you leave me no choice.” Anton shrugged his big shoulders.

  “I will fight you,” she warned. “Or I will run.”

  Anton laughed out loud. “Summer … you don’t have the talent to shift. You would not stand a chance.”

  The way his laughter lit up his sensual eyes sent Summer’s heart lurching. She stood up and stepped next to the bed. Before he could protest, she seated herself on his lap. Her lips brushed against his, and it was like being hit with a bolt of lightning. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, and felt his tongue moving with hers.

  Moaning, he pulled away.

  Summer boldly pushed him down onto the bed and positioned herself on top of him. Again her mouth claimed his. Her kiss held all the passions she had ever felt for him. Her mouth was hungry - demanding. She could feel his hand on her leg, moving up toward her thigh. Summer groaned in anticipation of feeling Anton touch her, like she’d always wanted him to. He was not immune to Summer’s hunger - she could feel him trembling beneath her.