Last Wolf Standing (#7, The Mystic Wolves) Read online

  With just this one feature, I was already in heaven. I could forgive all the sarcasm in the world for the drawings I’d complete here.

  “Feel free to use this room whenever you want,” Heather announced, coming in from the kitchen. “We’ll be sharing the common areas.” Pointing back in the direction from which she came, she added, “Obviously the kitchen and dining room. The laundry is back there, as well. I simply ask if you make a mess, you clean it up. I’m not your mother or your maid.”

  It was on the tip of my tongue to ask her what had her panties in such a bunch, but I didn’t. For whatever reason, this was my roommate’s dazzling personality and I needed to deal with it. The rent was too good to pass up and, after spending a month searching realtors online, this address had been the best offer.

  “You won’t have any problems from me. I like to keep things pretty neat and tidy.” Ignoring the way she simply stood there and watched me, I smiled. “I love how big the kitchen is. Do you cook?”

  Obviously not, judging by the smirk on her lips. “Your room is down that hall, along with the bathroom. Although you’ll be sharing it with any guests you invite over, it’s all yours.” Not waiting for her to lead the way, I headed in the direction she’d indicated. I was eager to see the sanctuary I’d be creating for myself, here.

  Opening the door, it was everything I’d hoped for. Fully furnished, the large bedroom held a queen-sized bed along the far wall with dark, stained wooden drawers on either side. Although the space lacked color and that certain flare I was often drawn to, it would be easily fixed by what I’d brought from home.

  “This is perfect,” I murmured, already planning the makeover.

  “Rent’s due the first of the month. You’ll buy your own food and we’ll split the cost of the utilities.”

  I nodded absentmindedly, already swept up in my own world, again. “First of the month, got it.”

  “Oh, and under no circumstances are you welcome upstairs. That’s my private living area.” Her glare told me everything I needed to know. She didn’t like me, and there was nothing on this green earth that could convince me to sneak up there—curiosity or not.

  “Thank you, Heather,” I replied, noticing she was already retreating.

  “Whatever,” she mumbled back, leaving me alone to finish exploring. A small voice whispered, in the back of my mind, that I might somehow break through her brusque exterior—that maybe, given time, I’d be able to pull some kind of warmth into our relationship.

  Maybe.

  Flopping onto the bed, I decided that relationship building could wait for another day. Today was all about me finally being on my own and independent. The world was my oyster—mine to conquer and enjoy.

  Which reminded me. My family would be worried if I didn’t touch base with them.

  Hey, mom. Got here safely. I’ll call when I’m settled.

  Okay, hon. Is everything all right?

  I was tempted to tell her about my first impressions of Heather and ask her opinion on how I could make things better. Even with living on two separate floors, there would still likely be plenty of opportunity for us to interact. If this brief introduction was any indication of the future, it was definitely going to be awkward.

  I didn’t, though. I didn’t want her thinking that I was already having trouble.

  Yep. I’m fine. Love you.

  Love you, too.

  Pushing past the pangs of homesickness, I mustered my determination to make this situation work. It had to, because there was no going back to Silver Falls, Oregon. The town was too small for my big dreams. Time to get moving, Blue. The sooner you unpack, the sooner you can check out the rest of the city.

  That was all the motivation I needed. Jumping up, I was out the front door and down the steps before Heather could stop me with another of her crazy roommate scowls. My sunny and positive demeanor would have to be enough for the both of us.

  Sighing as I glanced at my overfilled car, I secretly wished she’d been even the slightest bit hospitable and offered to help me. There was no way I’d be done unloading quickly—the interior stuffed to capacity.

  ”What I need is a friend,” I moaned, choosing to tackle the trunk, first. I still couldn’t believe how I’d managed to make everything fit—the long hours I’d spent playing Tetris paying off. This is going to take forever.

  Piling a few light boxes on top of each other, I didn’t see him until it was too late, our bodies colliding as everything spilled onto the sidewalk. Luckily, the two bottom boxes were taped shut. The smallest of the three wasn’t.

  “Oh no, I’m so sorry,” I exclaimed, dropping to the ground and frantically trying to shove everything back into the slightly mangled cardboard. It was impossible to hide my mortification as toiletries scattered across the concrete, my hair products rolling into the dirty gutter.

  “Here, let me help you,” the deep masculine voice replied.

  “No, no. I’m okay. Really. It’s no bother.” My gaze caught sight of the jumbo-sized box of the last thing I wanted a guy to see. Mom wanted to make sure that I had everything I needed and plenty of it.

  “It was my fault. Please.” And with that offer, I watched the sexiest guy I’d ever seen pick up my tampons before helping me stand.

  The earth needed to swallow me whole. Immediately.

  My face felt like it was on fire and I struggled to think of something witty to say—anything to show that I wasn’t completely unnerved at finding a blue-eyed hottie holding what would forever be renamed the object of my humiliation.

  “Thank you.” I snatched the offending item from him and shoved it back into the opened box. His smile told me he wasn’t embarrassed at all, which made one of us. It still felt like the blistering rays of a million suns burning my skin.

  “Moving in?” he asked, holding my gaze. I couldn’t stop watching the way his mouth moved, forming each word before his lips curled into a soft smile. My brain registered he’d asked me a question, but my mind was spiraling and still stuck on holy cow, is this guy really talking to me? “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  He lightly touched my arm and it jolted my focus from his mouth to his eyes. I desperately needed to get control before I started looking like an even greater idiot for gawking. “Yeah,” I answered shakily, not sure whether I could trust myself, yet. “Sorry, I guess I’m a little scrambled. I’m just moving in, today. My name’s Skylar.”

  This time, when I extended my hand, there was no hesitation. He shook it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Ryder.”

  His slight accent made my stomach flutter. Sounding a bit exotic, I couldn’t quite place it. It was completely insane the kind of effect he was having on my hormones. I could tell he was the kind of guy who could be dangerous—in a good-bad way. Unfortunately, the reality was that this was just a chance encounter and within the next few moments he’d be gone. I waited for him to say goodbye, but instead, he continued to stand there, holding my hand. As much as I liked it, if I didn’t let go, he’d think I was crazy.

  “Do you live here? I mean on this street?” I asked, willing myself to get a grip and try to start a casual conversation. Talking shouldn’t be this hard. It wasn’t like I hadn’t spoken to guys before.

  Not like this one, a thought echoed.

  “Not here, but I do live in Arista.” He glanced about as if searching for something and then focused on my car. “Is anyone helping you with your stuff?”

  “Nope, just me. I’m okay, though.”

  “Then it’s fate that I’m here. I’m at your service.” Ryder waved his arm in an exaggerated flourish, grinning as he bowed before me like I was royalty.

  “Seriously, you don’t have to. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do.”

  “More important than helping a pretty girl carry heavy boxes?” He winked.

  His comment made me giggle. “I don’t know about the pretty part, but you’re more than welcome to help with the lifting.”

  Brow risi
ng slightly, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he reached into the trunk and began building his own formidable stack. Watching as his muscles flexed beneath the light t-shirt he was wearing, I secretly thanked my lucky stars. This afternoon suddenly looked much, much brighter.

  “Well, once we’re done, I insist on making you something to eat—or drink—if you’re not hungry.”

  “I’d like that.” Again, the thousand-watt smile made my stomach dip.

  Finally retrieving my dropped items, I led the way, hoping Heather was upstairs. I wasn’t ready to share Ryder, yet. I wanted him all to myself—even if it was just for the next few hours.

  If everything went well, there was a good chance he’d also become my first friend.

  Chapter Two

  Ryder

  She was embarrassed and I liked it. But I wasn’t sure why I liked it. Maybe it was the way her capillaries flushed in a blood rush of pigmentation, signaling that she was hyperaware of me. I could feel the heat radiating from her, her temperature increasing. According to everything I knew about human anatomy, it was obvious to me what she was feeling—attraction.

  I couldn’t stop smiling as I followed her into the house. I liked the feeling she projected inside me. Physically, I didn’t manifest attraction for the opposite sex in the same manner as humans. Wanderers operated on a more empathic level, internalizing the feelings and frequencies projected into the air around us.

  Her feelings were strong, sliding over and seeping into my skin as if she were stroking me. It was intoxicating.

  Desire and attraction—I wasn’t a stranger to either of those. Having traveled to and from many civilizations, I’d satisfied my personal lustful cravings on many occasions. Curiosity was natural for my race, and we were eager to experience what was out there—in all forms.

  Still, in spite of the many lifetimes I’d lived, there was one emotion I’d yet to find and experience for myself. Love. I’d often thought it would naturally accompany one of those physical relationships, but it never had. True, I’d made some great friendships, but nothing beyond that. I was on the verge of believing love was a myth.

  However, glancing over the backside of Skylar Blue, I realized I was totally okay with just having a close physical relationship.

  “So, what brings you to Arista?” I asked, wanting to learn more about her. Her long red hair swayed against the small of her back as she walked and I was jealous of the way it caressed her. She seemed so casual, yet there was something sweetly seductive about her at the same time.

  I realized, then, it was innocence I felt. She was emotionally trusting, unguarded, and not afraid to show her true colors. Many of the humans I’d met, so far, kept pieces of themselves tucked away, hiding secrets inside. Not Skylar. She was like reading an open book and it was refreshing. It made me want to know more.

  “I’m an art student,” she replied, answering my question. “There’s a school I’ve wanted to attend, here, for ages. Plus, this area is so beautiful. It’s an artist’s dream.”

  “Really? I’d love to see some of your work.” An artist. That made so much sense. In my travels, it was always the artistic ones who sent out the strongest vibes. No matter where I went, what planet I was on, creative people always bordered on being empathic, themselves. It was like they actually felt everything around them—they weren’t just moving through their world, they were experiencing it.

  What she told me made sense, but it surprised me, too. There didn’t appear to be any darkness inside Skylar. She operated completely from a place of light. Many artistic souls I’d met in the past drew upon the dark places inside them for inspiration, creating from the agony they’d experienced. A sudden wave of fierce protectiveness washed through me. I didn’t want to see Skylar ruined like that. She was like a breath of fresh air.

  It was in that moment that I made up my mind to study her in detail. To me, she was an anomaly in the Universe, a brighter being than I was used to seeing. I wanted to find out why. I wanted to learn everything about her—from her upbringing and experiences to touching her beautiful, curvy body, to testing our physical compatibilities, which I was certain would be very pleasurable, as well.

  Chuckling internally, I shook my head. At least no one could accuse me of taking too much time to make up my mind. I was looking forward to this new project.

  ***

  Turning the steaming mug in my hands, I briefly stared down at the brown liquid. Even though a great majority of the human race seemed quite fond of coffee, I couldn’t quite grasp what was so amazing about it. The drink was strong and bitter, and I had yet to experience the promised stimulant it supposedly provided.

  However, one look at Skylar sitting across the table was pretty damn stimulating. Essence of attraction flowed through me, heightening sensations that made my body react to her on a very primitive level. I wanted to mate with her.

  It had been my experience in the past that women from Earth generally required a little more contact before they would consent to physically join with another. I found it interesting that they seemed eager to make the opposite sex work for their attentions. Races from many other planets found the physical act of coitus to be mutually beneficial for both parties. It was not unheard of for two who’d just met to become one for a short time. The act reduced stress, increased blood flow, and released endorphins that improved moods. Sex with strangers was not taboo in these worlds—in fact, it was encouraged.

  Interestingly though, there was the possibility of disease being passed through sexual relations here on Earth. This was something new, and I often wondered what had happened to mutate things to the point of transmitting unhealthy organisms. I wasn’t worried for myself. It wasn’t in my genetic make up to contract such things. I was immortal—a race completely apart from the humans—but that didn’t stop my fascination with these rare creatures and their world. They seemed to constantly teeter between success and utter destruction. My goal was to figure out which way they’d go.

  But all that could wait. Right now I was completely captivated by something else. Skylar’s perfect lips were pursed together and a small moan escaped her as she swallowed. I’d never enjoyed coffee as much as I was enjoying it right now; and I hadn’t touched a drop.

  “So, your roommate . . . is she a friend or family?”

  Glancing around quickly, Skylar lowered her voice and leaned forward. “Neither. I met her for the first time right before I ran into you. The realtor vouched for her; but honestly, she seems a little frightening. Is it bad that I sort of hope she keeps to herself?”

  Chuckling, I shook my head before lifting my mug and forcing myself to take a healthy swallow of the offensive liquid. “I don’t think so, but hopefully it’ll get better. Sometimes strangers have a hard time warming up, at first.” I thought back to some of the friends I’d made in my travels—people whom, in the beginning, I never thought I’d have any kind of companionship with.

  “You’re a stranger.” Skylar’s voice broke into my musings. “I don’t know you from Adam, yet you’re still sitting here, having coffee, after helping me unload my car and get settled in.”

  I’d been here long enough to know this “Adam,” to whom she was referring, was some sort of biblical figure believed to be the father of all human life on this planet.

  “Didn’t you have plans today?” she added. “Oh my gosh! I didn’t take you away from something important, did I?” Her eyes widened, sparkling like the blue nebulas of the Tartaran intergalactic fields as the light refracted off them. Stars! She was stunning!

  Smiling, I shook my head. “Nothing is more important than helping out a pretty girl.” Again, I downed another swallow of the vile drink, my eyes never leaving her as I carefully watched for her physical reaction.

  Heightened color softly flooded her cheeks and goose bumps rose slightly on her arms. She bit her lip and glanced at her coffee, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. I hadn’t even touched her and her body reacted in a mass of signa
ls showing her attraction. The empathic part of me was practically drowning in what she was projecting emotionally. For the thousandth time in a matter of two hours, I cursed the dictates of this world, wishing she was like some of the female species I’d lain with in the past. I knew, without a doubt, that intercourse between us would be the stuff of legends. Physically, I could sense that we were extremely compatible and my body was happy to constantly remind me of this. But I was also hyperaware that there was something more—whatever I felt wasn’t just physical—and it seemed different from my past experiences. I looked forward to exploring Skylar. She made me feel so . . . alive. At my age, anything that brought new spark or interest was a good thing.

  “So, do you just run around looking for women to rescue?” she asked, her eyes traveling over me, flitting over the muscles exposed by the shirt I was wearing.

  I nodded. “I have a place the next street over. You caught me while I was out for my morning run.” I didn’t need to run. I was an immortal Wanderer—my body was as timeless as granite, chiseled and honed to perfection. In general, Wanderers were fast. When restless energy coursed through me, my jogs usually consisted of running at the pace of humanity to a place where I wouldn’t be seen and then bursting into speeds that defied the laws of the planet. I particularly like running in places like the Redwood Forest. It was like an obstacle course—racing at breakneck speed, jumping over fallen trees, using my hyper-sensory projection to avoid collisions. Of course, there was also the fact that I had wings—wings she couldn’t see, thankfully, until I chose to reveal them.

  “I’m sorry.” Skylar looked truly remorseful. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your workout.”

  “You didn’t. If I’d wanted to keep going, I would’ve.” Winking, I smiled and she blushed, again. Truthfully, I wished I could continue my workout with her, in her bedroom. “Listen, I’m pretty new around here, too, but how would you like to go out to dinner with me? I’ve found a couple of pretty good places to eat that I think you might enjoy trying.”