Chapter 2

A tall, handsome, muscular figure stood in front of the glass windows overlooking the city skyline with his hands deep in the pockets of his sweatpants. He was naked from the waist up with a sheen of sweat covering every inch of his skin, a result of an intensive workout. Yet not even that exhaustive routine could take his mind off the guilt chewing at his conscience. The city was just waking up, taxis honked below his condominium apartment causing a frown to mar his brows. Once the city was his place of refuge but that was when he had Maggie in his life. Now as guilt racked him he longed for the solitude of his cabin. The only solitude he had was the stillness in the condo.

But even that little solitude disappeared when the light sound of feet against tiles reached his ears. He didn’t need to look back to know who it was coming down the stairs naked. He could see her reflection in the glass.

She walked behind him and slipped her arms around his waist and the toes of her left foot touched his to find them cold.

“You’ve been out of bed for a very long time,” she observed.

Her body was warm and soft against his.

“I was working out.”

“After last night?” She laughed, her voice dropping an octave into a seductive whisper. “Wow, you are strong Mr. Lance Lycrox.” She leaned in to kiss his muscular shoulder, inhaling the scent of male and sweat while tasting the saltiness of his skin. “No wonder I can’t keep my hands off you.”

When her fingers began to make their descent to the waistband of his sweats he gripped them.

“Not now, Viv, I’m tired.”

She pouted but he already dislodged her hands from around him and was walking away with no direction in mind. Somehow he ended up in the kitchen.

Vivian watched him go, her blue eyes narrowing in suspicion. Suddenly she threw her hands in the air and followed him naked as she was. “Oh my God, don’t tell me you’re still thinking about her?! What’s done is done. She’s dead. Move on!”

Was she always this cold? Lance thought to himself as he went to the fridge to retrieve a bottle of water, he didn’t drink it instead he was reaching for the box of eggs. His guilt was really making him nervous and he was having a hard time staying still. It was supposed to be easy. Lure Maggie Dark Storm in, pretend to be interested in her, deceive her father, and then kill her. Even her clan members had agreed with the plan. But somehow, fool that he was he had actually fallen in love with her. Yet he knew what he had to do to protect his image. He knew his assignment did not entail falling in love with her. Even now as much as he felt guilty for her death, he felt guilty for being a spineless fool.

Her quick smile…her soft brown eyes…

“Lance! Jesus, look at you! You look like you are about to cry!” She cocked her head to the side with her hand on her bare hip. “You are not about to cry are you?”

“I don’t think that’s a bad idea. You should be doing the same.”

She slammed her hands on the counter. “Oh come off it! It had to be done. You are much stronger now because of her death. Look at you! The rest of your pack and hers look up to you, you know why? Because you are a man and you made that decision and drove that dagger into her heart like the strong manly leader you are. Look at it this way, her death was the sacrifice, the price to pay for who you are today. You now command two packs!”

He dropped the box of eggs in the sink without even realizing it.

“Can you listen to yourself, Vivian?!”

“I am listening honey. You are the one who needs to listen. You know what?” She raised her hands in surrender. “Last night was lovely. We had a good fuck and you are trying to ruin it and ruin my day. I won’t let you. I’ll see you after work. Call me.”

She stormed out of the kitchen, this time her feet were heavy against the marble tiles. Lance watched her unable to help himself from staring at her bare ass as she marched off angrily. Hard as he tried he couldn’t stop his body from reacting. At least his brain was still rational when he forced himself to look away. Then he looked down at the egg carton now soaking in the sink. No doubt there were already a few broken eggs in it. He had slammed it pretty hard.

The guilt just wouldn’t let him be and Vivian wasn’t making it any better.

She was supposed to be Maggie’s best friend. They grew up together even though she was purely human. She had known Maggie’s secret when they were kids and they were like sisters. That’s what Maggie had told him.

When she was still alive.

“Geez, with friends like you, Vivian, who needs enemies.”

Even she had been in on the plan to kill Maggie.

***

Maggie finally opened her eyes and the first thing she noticed was how rested and fluid her muscles felt. Putting her arms over her head she stretched out the knots in her joints and muscles purely content to just lay back and enjoy the leisure of sleep. But when she looked up at the strange wooden ceiling above, her eyes stretched wide and she sat up in the bed with the speed of lightning.

A bed?

What am I doing in a bed in…where am I? She wondered as she stood up. Her head didn’t spin, the dizziness was gone, and in its place were questions. A small window was open to in the cool air in the absence of a fan. She walked toward it, her footsteps making dull thuds against the wooden floor that creaked softly under her. As the sounds of voices floated it from outside the room she tiptoed and rising on the tip of her toes, stretched so that she was looking out of the window.

The forest?

I’m still in the forest? She thought. But it wasn’t just the forest, there was a clearing for something that seemed like a settlement of some sort.

She frowned. A settlement in the forest? How did I stumble on them?

Then the memories slammed into her.

Shit! That guy!

Ace? Acer? Asher!

She realized with a great degree of embarrassment that she must have fainted again and he had taken advantage of her silence to bring her here against her will.

Well, damn him.

She looked down at herself and realized she was dressed up in a faded metal band t-shirt and a pair of loose shorts.

“Do you think she’s dead?” A feminine voice asked from outside the room. Someone was coming.

Maggie backed away from the window and would have tripped over the bed frame if she had not held on to the wall. The room was so small and crampy that even if she wanted to, there was nowhere she could hide.

“That’s why Asher wants me to check. Can you not hang around my shoulder, Briggs? I’ll go in alone.”

Before Maggie could think of what to do, the door was thrown open rather roughly and a girl of about sixteen with roughly cut short red hair, black eyeshadow adding emo mystery to steel gray eyes and a lip ring in her bottom lip was staring right at her.

“Oh look, she lives.” She looked over her shoulder at a young girl that was trying to peep from behind her. “Make yourself useful Briggs and call Asher.”