Graham Read online

  “How did you meet the Seer?”

  “Lucky timing.” She flashed a small smirk. “A male.” She stopped and raked her fingers through her hair, loosening the short ponytail. “He was a guard for the Burkes, a driver. He had begun to come around.”

  A low growl sounded from my throat. I nodded for her to continue.

  “I didn’t like him but…but with his position in the Pack, having a relationship with him would’ve helped my family...”

  “Those kinds of tradeoffs have gone on in both the Lycan and human worlds since the beginning of time, joining to increase your wealth or standing.” My father and I used to enjoy debates on which species held the most influence over the other. Humans over the Lycans or the other way around?

  “One evening, the male sent a text that he would join my family for dinner. However, I knew that if he kept coming around, my father would insist on a contracted mating.” She frowned. “Do you know what that means?”

  “It is not a mating of the souls, rather a joining based upon an agreement.” My mother had left her Pack to be with my father because he was her true mate, and she’d been contracted to mate another since birth.

  Olivia nodded then continued, “Another nurse called in sick, so I volunteered to work a double shift.” She flashed a small smile. “I practically demanded that I be allowed to work. Neither my father nor Ralph could argue with my work schedule, especially when I turned over my checks to my father. We needed the money.”

  “Tricky.” I gave her a slow smile. “I’ll remember to watch for that.”

  Her eyes widened in surprise, and then she returned my smile, looking pleased with herself. “Anyway, during that double, there was talk about a woman on our floor who’d been the victim of a horrific attack. My supervisor assigned me to her room because…well, I’m quiet. I think they didn’t want anybody too loud or too…much to tend to her.”

  “How did the Burkes explain the guards to the hospital?”

  “There were no guards.”

  Surprised, I sat back in my chair. The Burkes hadn’t sent protection for their Seer?

  “It was as if they’d dropped her at the ER and then forgot about her.” She shook her head in wonder. “She immediately recognized that I was Lycan. I’d never met a human who…who knew of us.”

  “You both must have been stunned.”

  “After I reviewed the list of her injuries, I should’ve known that a normal human couldn’t have survived that much trauma.” Her gaze drifted away. “He, Charles Burke, the Leader’s son, he’d shown no mercy. Even after she was disabled and too weak to fight back, he continued to violate her.”

  I leaned forward. “How did you know that she was a Marked? Did she tell you?”

  “I knew that our Leader had purchased her. He’d spent a great deal of money to acquire her. Too much money. They had to close the schools, and there was talk that our taxes would increase. I recognized her name, and my first question was, ‘Who did this to you?’”

  I went into cop mode. “Could she name her attacker?”

  “Yes. She told me everything about the attack. She wanted somebody to know the truth, in case she didn’t survive.”

  “That must have been a shock. To hear that a member of your Pack could do that to one so revered.”

  Her next breath was ragged. “She was in so much pain, but she wouldn’t accept pain medication.”

  “Probably wanted to make sure that her head remained clear.”

  “She had dozed for about an hour, and when she woke, she asked if I had access to a cell phone. She said that she needed to check in with a friend.” Olivia crossed her arms under her breasts. “I knew I was doing something against the Burkes by placing the call, but what the Leader’s son had done to her was very wrong. It was a crime. I couldn’t refuse her the chance to have one last conversation with a friend.”

  “You made the call, helping her.”’

  “I placed the call to the mate of the Novus Pack’s Second. Solle is a medical doctor, and they came within hours. The Novus Leader and others came to collect Theodora.”

  “Did they give you any problems? The Novus Pack?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “Their Second, he gave me cash and a card with information to contact him to collect my reward. He told me that I needed to leave and not look back. He sent one of the guards with me to the garage to…” She dropped her head again. “He broke into a car and showed me how to start it.”

  “Smart.” I nodded my approval. “They were buying you time before the Burkes, and your family noticed that you were gone.”

  “The guard gave me money, too. He was very patient with my fumbling.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not cut out to be a criminal.”

  “That’s good to know,” I teased. “I would hate to have to take you in.”

  Her gaze went to the wall. “I drove for miles. I knew I’d need to ditch the car. I stopped in Little Rock and got a room at a cheap hotel in a sketchy neighborhood. I was within walking distance to the bus station, so the next day, I left the car unlocked on the street and took a bus.”

  “How did you end up here?”

  “I was in North Carolina, and I heard that the Pack in this area isn’t organized. I was tired of moving every few weeks. I wanted consistency, and I missed my work.”

  “But you knew that, by staying in one place, you’d be easier to find…”

  Olivia chewed on her bottom lip for a long moment. “I was tired. I guess that I convinced myself that, if I was careful, that I might outlive the Burkes.” She leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table. “The Lady will take her revenge. She must defend her Marked. My hope was that I could last longer than they do.”

  I thought about her story and her plan. “Okay.”

  “Okay, what?” She looked perplexed. Her brows were drawn together.

  “I agree with you. We will outlast the Burkes.” I took her hand and held it gently.

  “Are…are you sure?” She sounded hopeful and yet still apprehensive.

  “I am. Olivia, you are mine.” I entwined our fingers.

  “They sent assassins. There’s a bounty on my head.”

  “We need a plan. That’s all.”

  “You make it sound so simple. Graham, it isn’t simple. Running is hard, and getting new identities is expensive. You’ll jump at every noise and wonder if you have a tail if a car follows you too long. It’s exhausting.”

  “I can’t imagine how hard it has been for you being not only on your own but all alone, not knowing who to trust.” It was a miracle that she’d survived this long. Olivia was totally unprepared for life on the run.

  “Uhm…thanks.” She sank back in her chair. “I guess what I mean is that I get it. I’ve got a lot of baggage, and you might not want a mate who comes with a huge problem.” She finished in a quiet voice.

  I ignored the second part of her statement. I would not refuse her. I couldn’t. “Now that I know what we’re up against, let me do some research and think.” I stuck to what I knew. How to stay safe. This mate stuff, well, I’d make it up as we went along.

  “Are you sure?” she whispered.

  “Why don’t you rest while I do the dishes and see about our supplies?” I knew that she was exhausted.

  “Graham…”

  “Shh. We’ll figure this out,” I promised.

  10

  Olivia Stern

  Graham was right, I was tired. I made noises about helping with the dishes, but I didn’t put up much of a fight when he pointed toward the bedroom. I stripped off my jeans and climbed into bed. Hugging the other pillow to my chest, I tried to figure out my next move.

  Either he didn’t understand, or maybe he was used to always having to look over his shoulder. I knew that some Lycans lived on their own. Most had human mates and chose to live fully in the human world. It sounded as if he had never been a part of a Pack. He’d made no mention of kin beyond his parents. Had he been alone for long?

/>   I let out a long sigh. Did any of that really matter because I was now in his life? I didn’t want to give him up.

  Damn the Burkes. Damn them all.

  * * *

  I slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. The sun had set. I heard movement in the other room and could smell something…. with garlic.

  My stomach rumbled, so I got out of bed and into my jeans. After a quick stop in the bathroom to freshen up, I walked into the living room. Graham was sitting on the sofa doing something on his tablet. “Hey.”

  “Hey, yourself.” He placed the tablet on the end table. “I baked spaghetti for dinner.”

  “You didn’t have to go to all that trouble.” I felt nervous. Unsure if I should join him on the sofa or…continue standing.

  “Come here, Mate.” He patted the cushion next to him.

  When I took my place, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close to his side. “Feel better?”

  Now that his arm was around me, “Yes.”

  “Good. Food and rest will help you regain your strength.”

  I made a “pffft” sound. “I was never very strong.” Again, I felt insignificant.

  “Liv, there are many kinds of strength. They have different uses in life. You might not be able to lift a car, but you know the difference between right and wrong. You did your duty to the Seer and The Lady. That’s moral strength. I respect that; I respect you.”

  My eyes widened. “Oh. Well…thanks.” I didn’t really know how to respond to the compliment.

  “We each have strengths and weaknesses. I fear you will find me bossy, and I don’t pick up my socks until it’s laundry day. We have time to learn about one another.”

  His voice had gone low, and I wanted to rest my head against his chest to feel the soothing rumble. “I can learn to live with the socks.” I grinned. “What about the toilet seat?”

  “No promises.” He, too, smiled. “But I will try to make sure it’s down.”

  “That’s all that I can ask.” I rested my head against his shoulder. “I know you said that this is another one of your safe places, but where are we?” From what I could see through the window, we were surrounded by forest.

  “About fifty miles from the city. Our closest neighbor is a half-mile away. The drive is unmarked, and with the weeds and trees, you have to know where the house is to find it.”

  “Have you lived here before?”

  “I bought the place in the seventies.” He paused before adding, “The nineteen-seventies.”

  “I figured.” I rolled my eyes at him. My mother had always told me that Lycans made a big deal about age until they reached a thousand years. “I recognized the appliances.”

  “The location works, and I’d have to put too much money into it to sell.” He shrugged.

  “Do you have many properties?” I hoped my question wasn’t too impertinent. My father had rented our house from the Pack. To own one home was impressive, but two or more? I didn’t know what to make of that. I’d never been close to anyone with so much money.

  “Several. In the last century, I’ve acquired homes, and I’ve found it difficult to part with them once I moved on.”

  “Have you lived many places?”

  “My mother’s Pack was based in what is now Russia, and my father’s was in Scandinavia. When I was young, we lived in Ireland. We moved to the New World in the early 1800s, settling in the Rockies. My mother loved the mountains and snow.”

  “You’ve been many places,” I murmured, hoping that he’d tell me more.

  “They had no ties to their people, so we were free to move around. My father was a metalsmith. He could find work anywhere, and my mother had a reputation for her knowledge of jewels.”

  “And you became an officer of the human’s law?” With his strong build and height, I could easily imagine him as a Lycan guard.

  “I’ve done many things. I’ve been a soldier, an enforcer, a gambler. I even worked in an office as a money counter, and lastly, I was a homicide detective.”

  “Was?” I turned so that I could see his face clearly.

  “I turned in my resignation earlier today.”

  “But why?” I opened and closed my mouth, trying to come up with more words.

  “For you.”

  I pulled away from him. “I didn’t ask you to do that….to change your life.” Anger heated my face, and my hands curled into fists.

  He shook his head. “We can’t stay here. Our identities have been compromised.” His voice was calm as if he was educating me.

  “But…but…” I didn’t even know where to start.

  “Olivia, I told you that I’d come up with a plan, and I will. The first step is to make it so that we have no ties.”

  “You gave up your job for me.” My voice started to shake, “Your career.” Dammit, I’d already caused him to kill to save me, and now, he had to change his entire life.

  “Baby, it was only a job.” He turned to face me and cupped my cheeks. He leaned toward me. “You are my life.”

  My heart pounded in my chest. His words overwhelmed me. I’d hoped to find my mate and that he would be a good male. Graham made me want to shout with happiness while gnashing my teeth in frustration. I wanted to add to his life, not make him lose everything.

  “I’ll do whatever is necessary to make sure that we’re safe. I promise you, Olivia. There is no sacrifice too big.”

  I tried to swallow the rock that had lodged in my throat. I blinked quickly to try to clear the tears from my eyes. When I thought I could speak, I did so in a rough whisper, “I wish this could be different, that we had met before…” I closed my eyes because I realized the chances of our paths crossing in my old life were improbable.

  “Honey, we met at the right time. You need me, and Goddammit, I sure as hell need you. I’m glad I didn’t have to travel to that hellhole in Texas. It sounds like I would’ve hated your Leader, and most likely, your father wouldn’t have approved of me. It would have upset you if I’d killed them both to claim you.”

  “That is true.” I licked my dry lips. “My father would never have understood that you were unaffiliated. That fact would’ve scared him. I, too, doubt that he would’ve approved our joining.”

  His smile grew large. “See, like I said, perfect timing.”

  Perhaps he was right. I squirmed as I considered his point.

  “Let’s go to bed.” Graham stood and pulled me to my feet. “You’ll feel better tomorrow.”

  I didn’t know if he meant physically or about our predicament. I walked down the short hall, turning left into the bathroom. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I slowly moved to the bedroom. Joining him now felt like a huge step. Familiar, and yet, new.

  Graham lay in bed with the quilt pulled up to his waist. I paused in the doorway. “I should’ve asked if I could use the bathroom first.”

  “Liv, you don’t need to ask,” he said in his low and rumbly voice.

  I nodded. I would remember that. I began to undress. I felt shy and unsure. Graham’s very nice chest was bare, and I could only imagine that the rest of his body was the same. Should I keep on my panties? What about my socks? I pushed off my jeans, folded them, and placed them on top of my bag. Then I paused. “Are we… I mean should I…?” I gave him a “help me” look.

  His mouth curved. “The answer is yes.”

  I flashed a grateful smile as I pulled my shirt over my head. I then unclasped my bra and pulled it down my arms. Perhaps, I should have undressed more slowly or tried to move gracefully. I had never thought myself to be particularly attractive. My breasts did fill a B-cup, and my legs were defined, and when I wore a skirt, some males did take note. My mother hadn’t had the time to teach me ways to enhance my looks or how to attract a male. I think my parents were concerned that any suiter I might attract would expect a dowry, but there had been no money for that.

  I made my way to the bed, and Graham threw back the quilt, welcoming m
e.

  He grinned. “Nice socks.”

  I glanced at my feet and giggled. They were made up of rings of green, purple, and orange. “They’re warm,” I said, defending my choice of footwear. In truth, I chose them because they were drastically marked down, probably because they were hideous.

  “Good to know they have some redeeming feature.”

  I liked his smile. He had lines at the corners of his eyes, and they made him even more handsome. “My feet are always cold.”

  “You could rest them against my legs.”

  I turned toward him and pulled the quilt up to my shoulders. I rested my feet against his legs. “They’re like icicles,” I warned.

  He moved closer to me, draping his arm over my side. “Soon, you’ll be warm.”

  “Yeah?” I found my gaze focused on his lips.

  “Promise.” He kissed me. What began as slow and thorough turned hungry with his tongue pushing into my mouth, tasting me fully.

  I pressed against his body. His chest hair tickled my sensitive breasts, and I wanted more. My only other lover had been human. An intern at the hospital, who’d been very gentle and almost tentative. Lonnie had been very serious and shy. I’d liked him very much, but I’d never loved him. We’d drifted apart with the demands of his training and my family.

  However, I’d never hungered for him like I did for Graham. I ran my hands over the planes of his back, lightly scoring the line of his ribs from his back to his sides. He gave a low growl.

  He rolled me onto my back, and his mouth found my hard nipple. His fingers pinched the other. With every strong pull made by his mouth, I pumped my hips.

  “Greedy,” he murmured against my skin.

  “For you.” I gripped his hair tightly and lifted his head. “You in me. Now.”

  He chuckled.

  Who was I? I’d never been one to demand things from another. Perhaps at my job, if it was a life-or-death situation, but with this male…I didn’t recognize myself.

  “Tell me how you want it, Mate,” he urged.

  “I…I don’t know.” I was only familiar with two positions. We’d done both of those, and I’d found them pleasing.