Harley~
We made it home to our little apartment shortly before midnight, drenched in sweat and loaded down after stopping at the gas station, grocery store, and my favorite Chinese spot for takeout. One benefit of living in LA is that something is always open.
Another good thing was how it felt when they knew your name everywhere you went. I would miss this little town that has accepted me as one of its own, though I am anything but. I fiddle with the lock before finally getting the door open.
My bags hit the kitchen table with a heavy thud. After I put away my groceries, I took off my clothes and went to the bathroom to shower. I don't even bother to dry my hair afterwards; it will just get wet again, so a messy bun will do.
Slipping into a T-shirt and panties, I settled down at the table, dishing myself a plate of house-fried rice, and I opened my bottle of wine. The answering machine is flashing at me. I took a sip of wine and hit the play button.
Benjamin, my human boyfriend of almost a year, is the first voice I hear. He always brings a smile to my face. "Hey, baby doll, I miss you. When can I see you?" The message says.
Leave it up to piss on my parade, Rae! 'You know you can't keep him. You are going to wind up hurting him. Imagine if you will, explaining that headline to your captain: 'Local DA mauled to death inside detective's apartment, film at eleven.'
My eyes rolled. I hate it when she is right! 'I know, Rae, I will try to be more careful.'
Rae is referring to my and Ben's last sexual encounter. I got carried away in the heat of the moment and bit Ben. Hard. Rae stopped me before I sank my canines into him. If she hadn't, I would have marked him. 'He must have liked it,' I shoot back.
Rae knows I, too, miss the primal sexual desire that only werewolf lovers can share. My core leaks with just the thought of having a man who is all wolf inside me again. Also, I want to start a family someday, with my mate, which I could never do with Benjamin. He couldn't survive in my werewolf world, and I am not meant to exist in his.
Not to mention the conversation where I tell him his child is half Lycan werewolf. Hurting Ben is something I don't want to do. I care for him very much, but I know that's as deep as my feelings for him will ever grow. I want the kind of bond that only happens with fated mates.
It's not Ben's fault. I should never have started the relationship with him, but a girl gets lonely after a while. I called him back and told him I was going for a run and would see him in about an hour. Rae is growling at me. Maybe after I pacify her, she will behave. Technically, I didn't lie to Ben. One of us will be running.
We get to the Channel Islands National Park and take our usual spot in the back corner of the hiking trails parking lot. It's well past midnight now, and the only ones here other than us are a few horny teenagers. Stepping carefully, I go a few feet into the trees, strip my clothes, and secure them in a low-lying branch.
Rae is anxious tonight. She pulls the shift, and we take off into the night. My wolf is an exceptional beast! She deserves the freedom to run whenever she pleases. I just can't give that to her as a homicide detective in LA. Maybe our next place should be in the mountains. Rae is quick yet steady on her paws. She moves us through the trees and undergrowth as if she were part of the forest.
It isn't long before I know where she's heading. We are going swimming! I giggle as I can smell the water through her senses. In the last few yards, we sprint toward the lake. Rae takes a running leap from the bank, and we dive in. We make a few rounds before she glides us through the water to her favorite rock. We leap up, and she stretches her stomach across the cool surface, painting.
'Happy now?' I teased her.
She wasn't bothered. 'As a pig with lop!' Her euphoria didn't last long. She went still on the rock, lifting her nose to the wind. 'Harley, we aren't alone.' Rae jumps back into the water.
She doggie paddles for a minute as she searches the air. Then we head back to the bank and crawl out. Rae crouches close to the ground as we cross over the dried leaves and twigs as quietly as possible.
'Can you tell who, or at least what, it is?' I am nervous, knowing our only protection is my Glock in the glove box, and that's quite a way away.
'It isn't human, that's for sure. It doesn't seem threatening, more curious but powerful.' Rae inches her way back to the treeline.
'We need to get back to the car unless you are ready for a fight!'
'It is following us,' Rae growls at our invisible stalker. 'Fast!
'To hell with the creeping, Rae! Run!' I urged her from the inside.
She rises from the ground and takes off like a shot toward the car. We stopped long enough to shift, and then I took off on foot through the parking lot. I scramble to open the car door and then get inside the glove compartment.
Thunder erupted around me. A lightning bolt struck the ground behind me and lit up the darkness, stopping me in my tracks as I gripped the barrel of the Glock. I was shaking, but still turned my naked form, gun in hand.