Love's Choice (6 page)

My back itched between my shoulder blades. Someone watched me.

I glanced over my shoulder, my eyes flicking through the faces on the sidewalk. Nothing. I shifted my shoulders, trying to ignore that itch between them. I had good instincts. I trusted them. I didn't suppress them like most of the idiots in the world.

Where was it coming from? I climbed off my bike. My eyes slid around the busy street. A powder-blue Seattle cop car slowly drove by me. The officer only gave me a glance as he passed. The cop wasn't the watcher. I clenched and relaxed my fists as I scanned the crowded sidewalks. Had one of the Blood Eagles followed me into Seattle?

Movement flickered. I looked up at the shiny windows of a rising hotel. Was I being watched from up there? The hotel's tinted windows half-reflected back the late-spring sun. I shaded my eyes and searched for the movement.

Was I imagining things?

Near the top, a window washer worked. Maybe that was the movement I saw.

I relaxed. I bet it was just the city making me uncomfortable. Or maybe there was some bored tourist staring down at the out-of-place biker. I sat back on my bike, my eyes still scanning. Just in case.

My phone made a strange, buzzing sound, more of a chirp than a ring. I barely heard it over the roar of the cars. I frowned and fished it out of my jeans pocket. It was difficult, the edge catching on the inside of the pocket. With a grunt, I freed it and looked at the screen.

I had a text message. No club members would ever text me. I didn't recognize the number. Excitement trembled through me. Was it her? I hit the large, silver button beneath the screen, opening the text message.

“I get off at 3. Let's walk the night together.”

My excitement exploded out of me. I let out a howling whoop, crushing the phone in my hand. The idiots scurrying on the sidewalks all jumped and walked faster, throwing looks at me. I grinned as they fled. They knew a wolf was in their midst.

Painfully and slowly, I texted back, “I'll take you for a ride.”

I looked around Seattle. I had two hours to kill. What was there to do in the city? Besides sit in a coffee shop and pretend I was doing something meaningful with my life like the drones that filled up the thousands of cafes in the city. There was only one coffee shop I wanted to visit, but I couldn't go back to Raven's. I needed to maintain my mystique. I needed to drive her wild. Tonight was my chance to win her fully.

I would show her what freedom was.

~   ~   ~

Raven

My excitement made the last two hours crawl. I didn't want to serve the customers that streamed into the cafe. It just seemed so pointless. I was eager to see Magnus. I knew it was crazy to date a biker, but those words on the napkin had melted my insides. My heart hammered and my eyes watered every time I thought about them. The note was carefully stored in a ziploc bag in my purse. Napkins weren't the strongest material, and I didn't want Magnus's beautiful words to be lost.

I would keep them forever.

“I see why you've been in a tizzy all weekend,” Gerdie smiled as she leaned against the counter during a lull.

I nodded my head.

“What did he write you?”

“His heart,” I answered. I couldn't stop the smile crossing my lips. “His heart, Gerdie.”

“That's always a good thing to learn,” Gerdie said, giving her husband a fond look.

Freddy was chatting with a couple of regulars. They all had big smiles on their faces as Freddy regaled them with one of his stories.

“You said Freddy was a dangerous man,” I said, trying to picture the gregarious, cross-dressing man as any kind of threatening.

I failed.

“Oh, he was,” Gerdie nodded. “He gave up his sword for me. That made everyone so angry.”

“Gave up his sword?” I frowned. “Is that some strange expression?”

Gerdie just smiled wider. Was she teasing me? Was this some strange joke?

“That's how he courted me. Freddy fell in love with me at first sight. He just had to have me. All his friends,” she glanced at Owen, “thought he was an idiot for courting me. But he didn't care. He gave his sword as payment to another man to help set up a...date between us. It was a unique sword. An heirloom, you might say.”

“Meeting?” I frowned. “This sounds very...old fashioned.”

Gerdie nodded her head. “So much has changed since our youth. Well, Freddy walked into the, um, date and, well, he claimed me.” Her smile broadened. “He took me and I couldn't resist him. So strong.”

“And Owen was one of those that thought it was stupid to give up some prized heirloom just to meet a woman?” I asked.

Gerdie glanced at Owen. “Yeah. But Owen believes in always holding on to valuables. He's greedy that way.”

“Owen has valuables?” I glanced at the faded jacket Owen wore.

“There are things more valuable than material wealth.”

“Like?”

“Love,” Gerdie smiled. “I think you're figuring that out with that sexy man of yours.”

My cheeks reddened. “I am.”

Gerdie's smile fell. “It'll be difficult for you and him, child. But hold onto that love and it'll see you through your trials.”

Before I could ask what she was talking about, a customer walked in and Gerdie strolled off to join her husband. I put on my friendly barista smile and tried not to scream at the customer as she vacillated for an eternity, or possibly two minutes, on what kind of latte she wanted.

“There are just so many choices,” she kept muttering, her gum smacking.

Three o'clock couldn't come fast enough.

Chapter Six

Raven

“Here's your last refill before I go, Owen,” I smiled as I walked up to the vet.

Today was a whirlwind. Besides Magnus striding into my coffee shop, I had found a connection to my dead parents. Owen knew them. I was so young when they were killed by the bear, I barely remembered a thing about them.

They did love each other. I remembered that. Father was strong and mother was beautiful.

“Thanks,” he smiled as I poured the rich, black coffee into his cup.

“And we need to get together and talk about my parents,” I told him. “I need to learn everything about them.”

Owen nodded. His one good eye met mine. “We will. But not today. I think you have a hot date.” A smile crossed his grizzled lips. “Isn't that how they say it today?”

My cheeks burned. “I guess. It's always changing.”

Owen snorted. “That it is. You made a good choice, Raven.”

“Hmm?”

“The biker. He's strong, protective. He's exactly what you need. He reminds me of your father.”

“I guess he does,” I said with a frown. I hadn't realized that. My father was strong and independent.

“It'll be tough, but you'll get through it.”

“My date?” My eyebrows furrowed. “Why would my date be tough?”

“No, not your date.” He sipped his coffee and sighed. “Freddy always brews the best. The man has a magic touch.”

“Okay, Owen,” I said. Then I leaned down and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Owen snorted. “Save that for your man. My wife can be a jealous harridan.”

“You're married?” I blinked.

He nodded his head. “To Freddy's sister. Now get out of here. You have more important things to do then listen to a tired, old soldier's ramblings.”

My heart fluttered. Magnus would be here any minute. I rushed back to the counter and set the pot back beneath the coffee drip. I headed into the back room, took off my apron, tossed it into the hamper, and snagged my purse. I pulled out the body spray I had in there and gave myself a quick spritz so I smelled more like strawberry than coffee.

A shudder spasmed through me. My stomach became lead. I was so nervous and so eager. How could I be both? I wanted to hide in the back room. What if this date was a complete disaster? What if Magnus lied in his note? What if he wasn't this amazing guy he presented himself to be?

“Stop being scared,” I growled to myself. “Mother was never scared. Magnus won't hurt me. No man could lie like he did with that note. There was so much truth poured out into it. You need to unbunch your panties and march out there.”

I felt better after berating myself. I slung my purse over my shoulder and marched out of the coffee shop. Gerdie had a big smile as she watched me over a customer's head. Freddy held the door open for me, nodding his head.

“You'll do just fine. I have faith in you, Raven.”

“Thanks, boss,” I said, giving him a strange look. Why were they all making such a big deal out of this?

I mean, it was a big deal to me. But why was it so special for my bosses and Owen?

Owen watched me through the coffee shop, his arms folded. I shifted my shoulders and turned away. I could still feel their eyes on me. I tried to ignore them. They were making me more nervous. What if Magnus didn't show up, and my bosses and Owen all witnessed my humiliation?

“No, he will show up. And everyone inside the cafe cares about me. Even if they're being so creepy about it.”

I fished out my phone from my purse, checking the time. 3:01. He was late. I peered up the street. Traffic moved at a crawl. I doubt Magnus was at all familiar with how terrible traffic was in Seattle. I wouldn't hold it against him for being a few minutes late.

My ears prickled for the distinctive roar of his Harley over the cars streaming by me. The road was one-way, and traffic only came from my left, so I craned my head in that direction, trying to spot Magnus approaching. I rose on my tiptoes, peering over cars.

Movement caught my attention. I looked up at the building across the street. It was the Marriott Hotel, its tinted windows gleaming in the sun. A window washer worked halfway down the skyscraper. I stared at him for a moment. Was that the movement I saw?

Something wavered on the side of the building to the window washer's left. A mirage moved across the building, climbing down the side from up high. I blinked. Was I seeing things?

No. It was still moving down the side.

What was it?

The mirage reached the fourth or fifth floor of the hotel and stopped. A shudder washed through me. Eyes were on me. The mirage was somehow staring at me. I took a step back. I wanted to rush back into the coffee shop. I could wait for Magnus in there.

A motorcycle engine's roar grew louder, echoing down the street. I wrenched my eyes away from the mirage. Over a block away, Magnus worked his way to me. He was powerful and handsome on his bike. I bit my lip and glanced back at the mirage.

A snarl growled louder than traffic. The mirage leaped.

My breath caught as the mirage rippled. White and frost-blue swirled about it. Snow drifted in the mirage's wake as it soared across the street towards me. A shape formed, hardening out of frost. Dingy-white fur covered a vaguely apish body. It snarled from a fang-filled muzzle as it landed on a taxi right in front of me.

Metal groaned and twisted as the hulking monster crushed the cab's roof. A car horn blared. People screamed. The monster stepped off the car, walking on short, rear legs and powerful knuckles like a gorilla. The thing stood fifteen feet tall. It snarled at me, red eyes glaring above a wolf-like muzzle.

“What is going on?” I gasped in shock.

“Valkyrie,” the thing snarled.

Fetid breath washed over me in a warm caress. Rotten meat clung to sharp, blackened teeth. A pink tongue lolled as it stalked forward, crushing a parking meter. Coins spilled out across the street as the ape-wolf stopped before me.

The thing licked its chops. “You smell delicious.”

~   ~   ~

Magnus

Metal crunched ahead. People screamed.

I craned my neck to peer past the cars before me. Something white and hulking stepped off the ruins of a yellow cab. I blinked in shock, my jaw dropping. It was something out of some dumb movie, only lacking that cartoonish fakery that all CGI seemed to possess.

This was real. This monster had stepped into reality and was stalking towards a black-haired woman in a green shirt.

Raven.

I didn't think. I revved my Harley's engine and shifted gears. I barely felt the bounce as I drove onto the sidewalk. Pedestrians screamed, diving out of the way as I roared down the sidewalk towards the coffee house.

The monster swung a knuckled fist at Raven. She dodged to the right, rolling across the sidewalk and coming up in a run, racing towards me. The monster snarled like a mad dog. Its arm swung, crashing into the side of a passing sedan. The car flipped over and landed against an SUV.

I twisted the accelerator. My Harley roared. I flew down the sidewalk. I didn't even look for cross traffic as I raced through the intersection. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't care. Raven was in trouble. Cars honked. Tires squealed. I zoomed through the intersection and bounced onto the sidewalk, the rear end of my Harley fishtailing as I fought to control my bike.

Raven raced towards me, her purse half-hanging on her arm. The monster battered down a tree as it chased her. Wood cracked. The tree toppled into the street. The monster crashed through a red-and-white striped awning, momentarily tripped up by the cloth.

I squeezed the brakes and swung around my Harley's rear end. Acrid rubber smoked and burned as my rear tire drew a half-circle on the sidewalk. I did a 180, facing away from the monster. “Hop on!”

Raven threw herself on the back of my bike, her arms slipping around my waist. She held me tight, her face buried in my neck. I revved the Harley. The rear tire smoked and squealed as it spun. The traction bit. We raced down the sidewalk.

“Valkyrie!” howled the monster.

“What the fuck is that thing?” I demanded.

“I don't know,” she screamed, her words almost ripped away. “I don't know what's going on. It just...appeared out of a mirage.”

Metal crashed behind us. The ground shook. I risked a glance. Beyond Raven's streaming hair, the ape-wolf followed. It moved with the lumbering gait of a gorilla far faster than I thought possible. Red eyes fixed on us.

Hunter's eyes.

“Fuck,” I roared.

Raven's arms tightened around me. “What are we going to do?”