The man was cuckoo. Maybe she should humor him, get him to trust her then she could escape, and sick the police on his psycho sorry ass.
“Okay, let’s say that’s true, what do I have to do with this? Why did you kidnap me? Why are holding me prisoner?”
“The woman that was shot, her name was Sonja and she belonged to the Blue Bay pack. She was down in the area on business and was shot by a rival pack member. The grayish liquid you saw in her wounds was silver. Silver bullets are the only things that can kill us.”
“This Sonja person was a werewolf? And she was shot with silver bullets?”
Garrick nodded.
“And?”
“I am also known as the Keeper of Secrets for a reason.”
Olivia nodded. She remembered the woman saying something about the keeper coming. She must have meant this man. Olivia also remembered the woman had fear in her voice.
“You keep the knowledge of werewolves hidden?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“By disposing of all evidence of our existence.”
She flinched and pulled back. “Sonja is dead?”
He nodded never taking his piercing blue eyes from her face.
“And I’m evidence.” She stated it, knowing the answer.
He nodded.
“You said you wouldn’t kill me.”
“I won’t.”
“Why?” She searched his face.
“I don’t know.”
“Why are you telling me any of this.”
“I don’t’ know that either.”
They stared at each other across the bed. Olivia could feel the weight of his gaze on her. She felt it in spots she wished she didn’t. Lower warm spots that ached painfully as he stared at her. The man radiated a certain energy, energy she would definitely classify as sexual. She’d never reacted to a man like this before, especially one that held her prisoner and had her chained to the wall like an animal. Somehow that knowledge spurned on an even more insipid aching in her sex.
She cleared her throat and dropped her gaze.
“What now?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve never encountered this situation before.”
“Me either.” Olivia smirked. “I guess that makes us even.”
Garrick grinned. “I guess it does.”
Olivia wriggled her chained foot. “Can you unchain me, at least?”
“Do you promise not to kick me?”
She smiled. “No.”
Garrick laughed. The sound was low and husky and made Olivia shiver with desire. She could feel little quivers in her thighs, and she didn’t think it was from fear. The man was pure hormones. A walking talking pheromone. It seeped into her system and wound its way around her sex. Brushing against her clit. Penetrating her. It took everything she had not to moan out loud.
Staring deep into her eyes, he grabbed her ankle and put it in his lap. He took out a key and unlocked the cuff. As he released her, his fingers brushed against the exposed skin of her foot and ankle. Olivia jolted from the searing touch. It sent delicious shivers up her leg and settled like a pool of molten lava deep in her womb.
“Better?”
“Um, yes, thank you.”
Christ, what was wrong with her? Not too long ago, she thought this guy was a homicidal psycho killer, now all she wanted to do was rip away the cotton of his shirt and the denim of his jeans and suck on his flesh. She had never felt want like this before. It was all encompassing, and terrifying. Like she was not in control of her mind any longer.
Garrick titled his head and narrowed his eyes.
“Could you indulge me for a moment?”
She flinched. “What do you mean?”
“I want to smell you. Your scent is strong and I need to make sure.”
“You’re not going to sniff my ass, are you? Like a dog?”
He grinned slyly. “Not unless you want me to.”
Her sex tightened and she nearly groaned. She shook her head quickly. “Uh, no.”
Garrick took hold of her uninjured hand and pulled her forward as he leaned over. He closed his eyes as he neared her neck. Olivia could feel his hot breath on her skin. She closed her eyes in ecstasy. She heard him take in a deep breath through his nose, smelling her. She desperately wanted to turn her head and find his mouth with hers to plunge her tongue in and taste the wild flavor of him.
She felt him release her hand. She opened her eyes and saw him sitting back and smiling softly.
“You smell of nature.”
She looked him over and noticed the large bulge at the crotch of his jeans. She quickly looked up, not wanting him to know what she was looking at. His smile widened.
He knew.
“Are you sure you don’t have a crazy hairy grandmother in your family?”
She laughed. “No, no hairy relatives. Why?”
“Werewolves give off a certain scent. It’s how we can identify each other, and how we choose a mating partner.” He licked his lips. “You smell very…very intoxicating.”
“Oh.” She could feel her face redden, and her sex quicken.
“I feel myself very attracted to you, therefore I must leave you for a bit. I need to get my bearings straight.” He unfolded his large frame and stood up.
Olivia shook her head clear. She felt the cobwebs of desire loosen their hold. Enough for her to think again. “Can you let me go? I won’t go to the police.
I’ll keep your secret.”
“It’s not the police I’m worried about, and I don’t think you really believe me.”
“I do. I do believe you.”
He smiled. “No, I think you almost do. I think somewhere deep in that mind of yours you know what I say is true, but you still don’t believe.” He went to the door and turned. “By tonight you will.”
He went out the door and shut it. She could hear the distinctive locking sound. She pounded her fists on the mattress. Damn it! She was freed from her bonds, but was still a prisoner. She looked up at the measly excuse of a window. There was not way she could squeeze through it.
She leaned back on the bed and tucked her legs up to her chest. Her sex still ached painfully and her ni**les still throbbed. If she didn’t fear him walking in on her, she’d slake her own lust. But that was the last position she wanted him to find her in. Or was it?
She rolled onto her back and swore. The man had some kind of control on her. Maybe he had doctored the stew or the water. Maybe he had dropped Ecstasy in her drink. That was why she quaked with desire, why she could think of nothing but quieting the insipid ache between her legs.
She knew she should be thinking about escape.
About rescuing herself from the crazed man. But she didn’t want to leave. Not before she felt his flesh in her hands, and feel his c*ck imbedded into her sex.
The door opened again. She sat up; her face flushed from her intimate thoughts. He came in and tossed a book and pen onto the mattress.
“To pass the time.”
Olivia picked up the small paper book. It was a crossword book. “Oh, thanks.”
He smirked then left the room again, locking the door.
She sighed, then opened to a puzzle. Four letters for roguish man.
Wolf.
Chapter Four
Olivia turned onto her side again. She closed her eyes Obut couldn’t sleep. Her stomach rumbled again. She was hungry and bored. She had spent the afternoon and evening doing crosswords, doing pushups, practicing her karate moves, and rolling around restlessly on the mattress.
She glanced up at the window and noticed it was dark. Damn that man! Where was he? She wanted something to eat, and she really had to pee. She went to the door and pounded on it.
“Garrick! Garrick, I need to pee!”
No answer. She looked down at the doorknob. She put her hand on it and twisted. There was an audible click and the door opened.
She couldn’t believe it. She’d kick her own ass if the door had been unlocked the whole time. Except she did hear the sound of a lock that last time Garrick had closed the door. Maybe he had come and unlocked it while she had a nap. But why?
She’d think on it later. She pulled the door open and peeked out. She was in a basement, unpainted and unfurnished. She looked up and saw a set of steep stairs. She imagined she was in an older house.
Something from the sixties. She glanced around the cement space to make sure Garrick wasn’t hiding in some corner, then stepped out. She moved quickly to the stairs and went up.
As she reached the top, sweat popped out on her forehead and trickled down her neck. Fear wrapped itself tightly around her body. Fear of the unknown, and fear of what she did not want to believe.
She peeked out the doorway and into the kitchen.
It was dark and empty. She stepped up into it. She saw the phone cradle on the counter, and rushed over to it. The phone was missing, and she could not dial from the cradle. She glanced around the kitchen for the phone. Nothing but a cute little kitchenette, appliances, and clean counter space. The man was neat, at least.
A soft light shined into the kitchen from an open door. Olivia moved silently and cautiously toward it.
She peeked into the small room. It was a den, or office. An old desk sat in the corner by a big bay window. On it were a notebook computer, old lamp, and the cordless phone. She ran to it, scooping it up.
She pressed the talk button. The phone beeped. Low battery. Shit! She pressed it again.
Something flashed by the window. Olivia jumped back, startled by the sudden dark movement. She peered out the window into the dark night, but saw nothing. She pressed her face against the windowpane and strained to see outside. She could feel her heart pounding and her palms were sweaty.
The phone slipped from her hands, and she bent down to pick it up. She stood up and came face to face with a dark form pressed against the glass.
She screamed and stumbled back, falling on her butt. An unnaturally large black wolf pressed his powerful paws against the window, its pale blue eyes settled hungrily on her.
Olivia scrambled up and ran out of the den; the phone still cradled in her hands she ran blindly through the house, frantically pressing buttons on the phone. She ran through the living room and skidded to a stop. The front door was wide open. She froze and glanced fearfully around the room. She was close to hyperventilating.