Nature of the Beasts (21 page)

Dastan swallowed and studied the coffee in his cup. “Like what?”

“Like seeing you shift into a wolf.”

Dastan raised his eyes and stared at him. Eyes just like that wolf he saw in his mind.

“Really? Come on, Mike. Werewolves?”

“I didn’t hallucinate that damn shit,” Mike said in a soft but firm voice. “Every day I’m remembering more and more. That is what I’m doing, right? Remembering?”

DASTAN STARED AT him and tried to hide his surprise. The spell to make him forget hadn’t worked, but he still wasn’t remembering things right. It wasn’t Dastan that Mike had seen shift. It had been Sarah. “I don’t know what—”

“Stop it, Damn it!” Dastan stayed quiet, waiting. “I don’t know what I’m seeing. I don’t know if it’s memories, if I dreamed it and just can’t get it out of my head. And who the hell was that redhead? I keep seeing her everywhere.”

Dastan sighed and poured his coffee on the ground over the fence. Was he really seeing Ari? If he was, what the hell was she doing sticking around? Or was it just residual images from his mind?

“I want some answers, and I have a feeling you’re the one who can give them to me.”

“I doubt—”

“I know you’re not human. What the hell are you?”

Sighing again, Dastan leaned an elbow on the fence. “I’m just a man trying to live a normal life with the woman he loves. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

“Normal, huh?”

He tilted his head slightly in acknowledgment. “As normal as possible.”

Mike’s eyes narrowed. “So no explanation?” When Dastan didn’t say anything, Mike continued. “What about my eyes, Dastan? How the hell did my eyes change color?”

They’d gone from a deep brown to an amber color with flecks of bluish-gray. That was something they hadn’t been able to do anything about. How did you explain the change in color? It was something they’d hoped wouldn’t come up, but there it was. Larger than life. “That I can’t explain.”

“Can’t or won’t?” Mike demanded.

Dastan leveled his stare at Mike. “Trust me. Knowing won’t make it any easier or better. You captured the killer you’d been looking for. As for the redhead, she saved your life. Let’s leave it at that.”

He watched Mike closely. He may remember it all one day, or he may always live with the questions. Dastan hated that this had happened. He liked Mike, despite everything they’d been through. He was a good man. He really didn’t deserve to live with these questions.

Mike sighed and leaned his back against the fence, crossing his arms over his chest. “Will that wolf be back?”

“Maybe,” Dastan said softly. “When you’re out some night, you might see him roaming the moonlit fields. I’m sure he means no harm to anyone. Just like the rest of us, he only wants to be free.”

Mike stared at him as though reading his mind or at least trying to. Dastan could tell the sheriff wasn’t happy about the lack of answers, but he could also see a small hint of acceptance. It was as though Mike trusted him but wasn’t sure why or how.

“You know,” Dastan said, changing the subject, “Sam told me you were pretty good at breaking in new horses.”

“Yeah?” Mike said, his eyes narrowing slightly, but Dastan didn’t miss the spark of interest.

“I’ve got some new horses coming in this morning. I’ve never broken any in.” Dastan was surprised at how easy that lie rolled off his tongue. “I could use some help. Interested?”

He wasn’t sure why he was doing this. Instinct maybe. It would be better to have Mike as a friend than an enemy.

Mike thought about it, then nodded. “Yeah. I’ll give ya a hand.”

Dastan smiled. “Good. I think Sarah’s cooking breakfast. We’ll eat, then get everything ready. Unless you have some sheriffing to do?”

“Sheriffing?” Mike asked. “What the hell is that?”

“I don’t know,” Dastan said with a chuckle. “What do you call what you do?”

Dastan turned toward the house, expecting Mike to follow. It took him a couple of seconds, but he finally pushed away from the fence and headed toward the house.

“Not
sheriffing
,” Mike said, pretending to be annoyed.

Yeah, this was definitely the better way to go. One day he might remember it all, and if he did, if he knew that Dastan and Dmitry weren’t the bad guys, then maybe he would be okay with it.

Glancing toward the sky, Dastan admitted the idea was a long shot. That being here might actually bring the memories on, but it was worth a try. He loved the ranch. It was his home now, and he didn’t want to have to leave. Having the sheriff on his side would be a good thing, he hoped.

ARI STOOD BACK in the shadow of the barn and watched Mike walk across the yard with Dastan. She’d heard what he’d said. He remembered her. At least some of it. Ari smiled softly as her gaze traveled over his strong back and nice, firm ass. She’d had to fight not going to him again. He was part of her now, and she was part of him. Although he didn’t understand why, they would always be connected.

She raised her hand as though to touch him and imagined how his skin and hard muscles had felt under her fingers. Mike stopped and glanced back at the barn in confusion. Had he felt her presence? Her touch? She stepped back a little but could still see him through the slit in the wood of the barn wall.

“I will always be with you,” she whispered, then disappeared.

Darkness Falls

Dead Reckoning

Leave Me Breathless

Their One and Only

Shutter

* * * *

The ENTWINED FATES Series

Captive

Destined for Two

Mercenary

Remember Me

Slaves

* * * *

The SPARK OF MAGIC Series

Blood Rite

Deadly Crimson

To Die For

Lost Without Them

Nature of the Beasts

• Chapter One
  
• Chapter Two
  
• Chapter Three
  
• Chapter Four
  
• Chapter Five
  
• Chapter Six
  
• Chapter Seven
  
• Chapter Eight
  
• Chapter Nine
  
• Chapter Ten
  
• Chapter Eleven
  
• Chapter Twelve
  
• Chapter Thirteen
  
• Chapter Fourteen
  
• Chapter Fifteen
  
• Chapter Sixteen
  
• Chapter Seventeen
  
• Chapter Eighteen
  
• Chapter Nineteen
  
• Loose Id Titles by Trista Ann Michaels
  
• Trista Ann Michaels
  

I live in the land of dreams, where alpha men are tender, heroines are strong and sassy, and villains are brutal and conniving. When not deep in the mind of my next serial killer, ghost, or futuristic space pilot, I can be found in the mountains of Tennessee, spending time with family and friends. At least until the next story calls.