Page 15 of A Cursed Noel

The name stops me dead.She turns, addressing the male.

No. Something isn’tright.

Screw it.

I hop down the inclineand head toward them, landing quietly between two cars and keepingclose to the shadows.

“Do you need a ride?”the male asks.

“Ah, no, Dr. Bantam,”she replies. Her voice is raspy and more of an alto. Odd, seeing howshe’s maybe five-feet-two at best. That said, she’s no weakling.Her skintight running pants cover lean muscles used to running longdistances, and the white stripes of her jacket lessens the definitionin her arms. Her curves are pronounced, adding allure to what isotherwise a thin, athletic frame.

I notice her figureplenty, as well as her beauty. The male does too, only not the way Ido. He takes her in as if naked, instead of fully dressed.

“You sure?” heasks. “You might enjoy the company.” He laughs. “Every time Isee you, you’re by yourself.”

Her voice trails as shelooks in my direction. “I’m fine. Go home,” she tells him.

I plaster myselfagainst a run-down minivan, ignoring the sheet of snow that slidesalong the side and onto my back. The strange beast I sense isprowling closer, alerting me he’s ready to fight.

He’s almost upon us.Hell. Has he come for her?

My senses extend acrossthe perimeter. If he’s after this young woman, that pissant doctorwill complicate matters. I could knock him out, to keep him fromwitnessing the fight that’s about to go down, and also for being aprick.

Two birds, one stone.

The thought cuts awolfish grin across my face. It vanishes as the female whips her headin my direction and locks her gaze on mine.

Jade green tiger eyesreplace her human gaze.

My knuckles crunch as Ipush away from the van.

The predator isn’there for her.

The predatoris her.

Chapter Five

“Celia?” the malesays. “What’s wrong? Look, I know it’s late. It’s been a longday for both of us. Why don’t I take you to dinner? We cankickback, have a few drinks.”

The female shoots herhand out, keeping the oblivious human in place when he inchesforward. “There’s something here.” She hones in on where Iwait. “You need to go.”

I stalk out from thedarkness. “She’s right,” I say. I jerk my head to the side.“Get going, Doc.”

“Who are you?” themale demands. He chokes on the last word when I unleash a deadlygrowl.

The female replies witha challenging growl of her own. The timbre only slightly lighter. Forsuch a small female, her growl is heady. She tosses her pack asideand storms forward, her steps barely perceptible in her rage.

“Oh, honey, you’remessing with the wrong wolf,” I snarl. “You want to fight? Let’sgo.”

Mimi’s raggedy andirritated voice echoes around us, scattering snow in all directionsand stopping me dead. “For Hera’s sake!” she crows.

Lightening cracks andthe world ignites in a brilliant ball of light.

I’m thrown backwardinto the same pile of snow where I initially landed. My breath leavesin a harsh rush when the female crashes on top of me. I blink,clearing the spots dancing in my vision and trying to grasp whathappened.

The female groans. Ishift into attack mode only to be bowled over by a tundra of warmththat floods me with voracious desire.

The female jolts. Herwet curly hair bats against my cheek in her rush to sit up.