Because of the incident, no one had to come into work the next day. Tara was grateful to have a day off, it gave her time to go grocery shopping with the money her mysterious admirer had given her. She thought about her mystery person as she walked around the aisle of the grocery store. A vision of Kane popped up in her head and she blushed. It couldn't be him...could it?
Last night she could have sworn someone was standing over her bed watching her while she slept, but when she opened her eyes, no one was there. However, there was an impression that her sixth sense picked up on, a very strong and overwhelming impression that could only be associated with one person...Kane.
He was slowly becoming an obsession to her and she didn't know if what she was experiencing was real or her imagination conjuring him up because she was lonely. Her grocery basket bumped into someone while she was deep in thought. She looked up quickly to apologize and gasped when she saw Kendrick standing there smiling at her.
"Tara, what are you doing here?" he asked in a perfectly innocent voice.
Tara stared at him in shock. If Kendrick was here, did it mean his brother was too? One thing was for sure, those two always came in pairs ever since Kane had returned from his vacation. "I...I..." she started to say.
"You know I come to this grocery store all the time and have never seen you until today," Kendrick told her.
"Well, I don't do a lot of grocery shopping," she said sighing a little out of relief. For a moment, she thought maybe she was being stalked. Then again, San Francisco was like New York, you could run into the same people over and over no matter where you went.
Still...she remembered the strange answer Kendrick had given her when she 'd asked if Kane was there when Andrew was coming on to her. "When has he not been there ever since you've met him?" Kendrick had asked her. And sure enough, Kane walked around the aisle. He looked totally out of place in the grocery store because of his size and the wild look he had going on for him. Most of the women quickly got out of his way and yet couldn't help but stare at him. She understood their plight, he had that effect on her as well, that dangerous vibe he gave off that tended to scare people away yet draw them to him at the same time.
He looked at her and then at the grocery cart, frowning at all the vegetables he saw. "What is this?"
"Are you a vegetarian?" Kendrick asked as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth.
"No..." Tara said watching Kane grab her basket.
"You need meat..." he mumbled.
"Wait...what the..." Tara went after him. She heard Kendrick snicker and turned to look at him. He followed alongside her as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. "What is he doing?"
"Apparently, he's getting you some meat," Kendrick said casually.
Tara watched as Kane went to the meat section and began to load her basket full of raw red meat, the bloodier it looked, the more he got. "Wait, I don't eat that much meat!" she told him. He shot her a warning look that made her be quiet. She turned to Kendrick for help. "What's with him?"
"I believe my brother has a slight crush on you and have taken you under his wing..." Kendrick told her with a smile.
Kane flashed Kendrick an irritated look when he said "slight crush". What a thing to tell his life mate.
Kendrick spoke in his mind. "I am trying to be as cautious with her as possible and ease her into this, Kane, unlike you who have already started with the responsibilities of taking care of your mate. She doesn't even know she belongs to you, yet. Slow down..."
"It is natural for our kind to hunt and provide food for our mate is it not?" Kane asked. "It does not matter that she doesn't know she belongs to me or not."
Tara looked from one brother to the next wondering why they were silently glaring at each other. It was almost as if they were communicating somehow. Kane turned around and continued to load the basket full of different types of meat. "Kane, Kane!" She grabbed his arm to stop him, the basket was almost full. "I think that's enough. This is expensive and I haven't finished buying other things I need." He didn't seem to be too happy with her stopping him from the way he was staring down at her. "Thank you, really. I appreciate your concern and your help, but I really need to finish my own shopping," she said as politely as she could.
He let her take the basket. Tara gave him a smile. "I'll see you at work tomorrow," she told them as she walked away. She thought that was the last she would see of them until she got to the cash register and they appeared beside her. "Oh...you're still here?"
"How are you planning to get home with all those bags, Tara?" Kendrick asked as he began to help her take the food out of the basket to be scanned.
"I was going to call a cab," Tara said. "It's not that far from where I live. Oh, by the way, thank you so much for the cab fare yesterday. I'll have to repay you for it."
"No problem," Kendrick told her. "I would never let you repay me, don't even think twice about it."
"You're so nice," Tara gave him a genuine smile causing his face to turn pink. Something like a growling sound came from Kane's direction. She turned to look at him. He was busy packing her bags.
Tara turned around to pay for the food. The price was way beyond what she'd budget for thanks to Kane loading her basket full of meat. She could have put it back, but something had stopped her. Now she only had two hundred left to spend of the thousand she'd been given. Oh well, at least she had plenty of food that would last her for at least six months, that was a good thing. She went into her wallet to get the money and noticed the cashier closing the register and handing Kendrick the receipt. Kane had already started out the door with her grocery.
"Wait! I haven't..."
"It's okay, Tara," Kendrick told her.
The cashier smiled at Kendrick dreamily. "Such a gentleman, I wish someone would buy my groceries like that."
Kendrick chuckled softly as he escorted a very confused Tara out the store. "Have a nice day," the cashier called out to him.
"Kendrick! Kane!" Tara yelled at them when she saw her basket had been taken to their ford explorer. Kane was busy loading her bags into the back. "What are you guys doing?! I mean I really do appreciate your help, but you can't just come and take over like this. You didn't even ask if I wanted your help."
Kane pretended he didn't hear her. He continued to put the bags in the back of the car. Kendrick rolled his eyes at him. His brother had a life mate now, he couldn't always be the one covering up for his lack of manners. And yet, he found himself doing it... "I'm sorry if we've upset you Tara. It's just that, well I've known you for a month and it doesn't seem like you know too many people. I figure it's about time we became friends, especially after that incident with Andrew. You had no one to turn to after that didn't you? I can't stand to see a nice girl like you going through life alone. Everyone needs someone to be there for them, don't you agree?"
Kane glanced at Kendrick. His brother really had a way with words that he couldn't even hope to compete against. He could see Tara visibly relaxing in front of them and was thankful of his brother. Although, he would never let him know, the man was annoying as hell.
"Are you saying that I can rely on you?" Tara asked a small light of hope in her eyes.
"I am offering you our friendship. You need two big guys to look after you, don't you think?"
Tara blushed and glanced at Kane.
He finished with her bags. "Come, we're taking you home."
Tara didn't know what to do with herself sitting between the large men. Every turn sent her sliding against one or the other. Kendrick was trying extremely hard not to laugh at her discomfort as she tried to huddle her body into herself to keep from touching them in the small space. He made a sharp turn on purpose just to see what she would do when she slid into Kane.
Kane glanced at him, a smile threatening to show on his lips at the game his brother was playing. He had to admit it was fun watching Tara squirm between them. She was rather amusing. When she slid hard against him, he wrapped his arm around her waist and held her against his side.
"I'm so sorry!" She apologized immediately, her face on fire.
Kendrick couldn't help it. He laughed out loud. Tara turned to him realizing he'd been messing with her. "Oh I get it, you think it's funny, do you?"
"Yes," he admitted. "Most girls would be trying to climb all over us, well at least me, Kane tends to scare away his would-be admirers."
"It's not like that...I'm not use...to...being so close to...two..." her voice trailed off....
"Two sexy irresistible men? I completely understand," Kendrick teased her.
Tara became flustered. "NO! I mean..."
Kendrick laughed.
"Do not let him get to you. He is annoying, even I can't stand to be around him too long," Kane told her.
She relaxed a little, well as much as she could with Kane's arm wrapped around her. She knew he was only trying to keep her from sliding around so much, but still she had the strangest feeling that she was supposed to be in his arms. It was where she belonged.
When they finally got to her home after showing them the way, Tara was slightly hesitant about letting them in. Of course, they had to help her unload the groceries, still they would be the first people to enter her home and as friendly as they were being, what if...they tried to attack her? She didn't really know that much about Kendrick and knew even less about Kane.
Both brothers noticed her hesitate at the door. "Do you really think we would hurt you, Tara?" Kane asked her.
"We would never hurt you," Kendrick told her.
Tara felt slightly ashamed. They seemed to have read her thoughts. "I'm sorry; I'm just not use to people being kind to me for no reason."
"We understand. I would be angry if you trusted us so easily," Kane told her.
She looked at him curiously, wondering what his words meant as she opened the door. "Even Rhonda hasn't been here yet," she told them.
"Thank God," Kendrick said as he walked in.
Tara tilted her head curiously at him. Did he not like Rhonda?
"Welcome to my home. It's not much, but it's mine for now," she said.
"For now," Kane said.
Okay...what was that about? These two were going to cause her head to blow up with their strange statements. "You can sit the bags down in the kitchen." She never realized how small the place really was until the two men entered looking larger than life. She suddenly felt cramped.
"Thanks again guys, for everything," she told them when they brought in the last bags.
"What? Do you think we're leaving so soon?" Kendrick asked. "We fully intend to help you put all this up. As a matter of fact, why don't you relax and let us do all the work."
Tara's mouth nearly dropped open. "You don't have to, I'm sure you have more important things to do with your time."
Kendrick looked at Kane. "You got any plans for this evening?"
Kane smiled slightly. "No."
"I don't either so there you go, two available men at your service. Now don't start thinking crazy thoughts and taking advantage of us cause of what I said," Kendrick gave Tara a cautious look and wrapped his arms around his body protectively before running into the kitchen.
Tara giggled; she couldn't help it. The man was funny.
They completely took over the kitchen. Tara watched as they stocked the food she'd bought on the shelves and in the refrigerator. Kendrick had taken one look in her empty refrigerator and shook his head frowning at her. "Tara...my heart cries for you..." he'd said as if he meant it.
"It won't happen again," Kane vowed seriously.
Tara could only blink. She walked into the living room and sat down too stunned at these guys to do much else. Why were they helping her so much? Why did they care? Kendrick had never shown interest in her until she met Kane. Kane seemed to have some sort of claim on her from the beginning. What was she doing? Was she really so lonely as to let these men who were still practically strangers in her home? It wasn't like they'd given her much choice either, but still...
"She's quiet in there," Kendrick told Kane. "When humans get quiet, it means their minds are running a marathon of thoughts that aren't always good. Stop her before she comes to the conclusion that this isn't normal."
Kane nodded and started to go to Tara, but she appeared in the kitchen again. She seemed nervous and kept wringing her hands. Tara swallowed loudly and tried to stop her hands from shaking. She was about to do something completely out of the ordinary, but she felt she needed to repay their kindness with more than just a simple thank you.
Kane didn't like Tara to be so uncomfortable around him. It bothered him greatly. So, he did something that nearly shocked Kendrick; he tried to give her a bright cheerful smile.
Tara nearly ran from him. Her heart began to race in her chest. She had never seen anything so scary in her life. His smile resembled the smile of a wolf. She knew real wolves didn't smile, but she'd seen how the big bad wolf had smiled at little red riding hood right before he attacked her, and Kane's smile was exactly like a big bad wolf. He even had fangs. They had to be fangs; no human teeth were that sharp.
"Kane, stop smiling. You're scaring the crap out of her," Kendrick's voice appeared in Kane's head.
Kane immediately stopped attempting to smile. He sucked at acting human. He could see Tara was growing pale in front of his eyes. She looked like she was about to run. He didn't know what to do to calm her, so he did the first thing that he thought of. He spoke her name as gently as he could.
"Tara."
Tara bit her bottom lip. She went from being terrified to wanting him to say her name again. His voice was the most soothing sound she'd ever heard, deep, soft, coaxing and so very sexy. They stared into each other eyes for a long moment.
That warm glow that she'd notice the day before began to appear in his beautiful green eyes. She could get lost in those eyes. No one had ever looked at her that way. She suddenly snapped out of her trance. All these strange intense emotions taking over were causing her to wonder if she really knew herself. In a few seconds, she had gone from being terrified to wanting him. He was the only man who had such strange effects on her. Then again, hadn't she sensed that he wasn't human?
Feeling like an idiot standing there gawking at him, she quickly came back to reality. "I was just wondering if you'd like to go to lunch together, you and Kendrick, tomorrow at work, my treat of course. This isn't a date or anything like it, I just want to thank you for helping me. You probably think it's nothing, but it means a lot to me. People showing me kindness is a rare experience for me and I tend to make a big deal out of it. So, if you're up for it then great and if you can't that's fine too."
Kane was shocked. This was his first experience with a human girl asking him to go anywhere.
"Wow," he heard Kendrick's voice again in his head.
"Stay out of my head, Kendrick!" Kane warned him. "I don't need you to constantly babysit me. I know you were watching me last night when I was with Tara."
"This is all new to you, Kane. Until I feel secure about your untamed nature around her, I will be checking on you from time to time. For now, as much as I'd like to go out on the lunch date, she is your life mate. I think some alone time with her in a public atmosphere is safe enough and will bring you two closer. Be careful with her Kane, this one is unlike any human I've ever met. She fascinates me."
"I don't need you to tell me to be careful with my own life mate, idiot!" Kane growled. He felt his brother's invasion disappear and was relieved to finally have privacy with Tara.
"Tara, as much as I'd like to go with you, alas I already have plans for lunch with someone else tomorrow, but I'm sure Kane can go, right Kane?" Kendrick winked at them.
Tara tensed. Oh no! She had never been alone with Kane before. The man was always so intense and quiet, what could they possibly talk about? At least with Kendrick, she knew there would be conversation. Kane probably didn't want to do it anyway. He'd probably reject her. Even though they'd offered her their friendship, perhaps she'd gone too far asking them out for lunch.
"I'm sorry, I can't go with you," Kane said noticing she didn't seem at all surprised by his answer. It was almost as if she expected it. His heart sunk. He tried not to let that thought depress him, after all she didn't know him and probably thought he was a jerk like most guys.
"Sure, of course. I shouldn't have asked..." Tara turned around to go back in the living room wondering why she was so disappointed; she should have felt relieved. What the heck would she do with a gorgeous man like him anyway? She gasped out of surprise when she felt his huge warm hand wrap around hers to stop her from walking away.
She slowly turned back around. "I can't go with you under your conditions. It would have to be my conditions for us to have lunch."
Tara stared up at him feeling slightly dizzy from his towering height. "What do you mean?"
"You want me to go to lunch as payback for helping you. I can't accept that. A simple thank you was enough for me. However, if you will allow me to take you to lunch, my treat of course," he smiled slightly, "then I will gladly go with you."
Tara frowned highly confused as to how her good intentions got turned around, "But..."
Kane shook his head slowly. "I would rather take you out to lunch and it can be whatever you like, as friends hanging out or a date, your choice."
"Smooth move! Never thought you had in it you," Kendrick voice suddenly appeared again.
"I am going to hurt you so badly tonight," Kane's voice growled back.
"Sorry! I swear you won't hear from me again. I will give you two your privacy. It's like watching soaps...quite addicting." Kendrick laughed and once again left Kane's mind.
Tara stared back at Kane then nodded smiling shyly. She never knew what to expect with this guy. The danger alarms were still going off in her head and yet, she couldn't seem to listen. Now that he accepted, she was actually excited, yet a little scared to go with him.
They left after finishing with her groceries. Neither of them wanted to impose on Tara too much since she still seemed a little nervous around them. Kane didn't want to leave but knew he had too because the more he stayed with her, the more the wolf inside of him urged him to take her and make her his even with his brother there. Each time he was with her, he had to fight the wild instinctive side of him, and it was getting harder the closer they got. They volunteered to pick her up for work in the morning and simply ignored her protests as they walked away.
Tara couldn't believe this was happening to her. She smiled and closed the door. Did she really have these two as friends? One of them was enough, but both? She had to admit, it did make her feel safer and not so alone anymore. Unlike Rhonda, she couldn't sense any suspicious intentions from Kane and Kendrick. The two guys really did seem to want to look out for her. And although they'd given her a reasonable excuse as to why they suddenly wanted to be a part of her life, she still sensed there was more to it, especially with Kane. She spent the rest of the day cooking herself a huge meal. It had been forever since she'd had a home cooked meal and had forgotten what it was like. She'd wished the two had stayed so she could have offered them some.
The next day turned out to be quite surprising to people in the office when they saw her walk in between Kane and Kendrick. The guys had picked her up on time and taken her to work as promised. A girl could get use to this; she had thought. And when it was time for lunch, Kane walked up to her and grabbed her hand without a word and refused to let go of it as they walked through the building together. People stared at them in shock. A couple dropped the folders they were holding, even the receptionist forgot to answer her calls as she watched them walk out the door.
Tara glanced around the elevator. They were leaving from the seventh floor. As the elevator descended down, it stopped on each floor and a man got on. There were several men standing with them, all of them looked like professionals dressed in their business suits.
Then there was Kane...
Everything about him was so out of place and he didn't seem to care one bit. He towered over them like a giant. Their heads only reached his shoulder. His red hair hung down his back in tangled locks. Tara wanted to run her fingers through it to bring some type of order to the wild locks. He wore a white t-shirt and jeans that had a few holes in them at the knee and dirty sneakers.
As unkempt as his looks were, she still found herself completely and utterly attracted to him. No matter what he wore, nothing could hide his handsome face or that masculine muscled body. She looked down at their hands still interlocked together and wondered if he was aware he was still holding her hand.
Kane noticed Tara watching him and turned to look at her. She smiled and quickly looked away. He couldn't help but smile a little at her actions. He wondered what she was thinking and hoped that his blank expression, which he was forcing on his face, hid his own thoughts from her.
If she knew how he truly felt right now, she would be running for cover. Kane's territorial instinct was kicking in full time and he was having a hard time controlling it. There were too many males in the elevator standing too close to his life mate.
His human side was telling him he was being ridiculous to want to fight them. They were only trying to get their next location, but the wolf growled inside of him. It wanted to challenge every one of them for invading his territory, which happened to be Tara, and mingling their filthy scents with hers.
The doors finally opened. Kane watched as the men poured out before leaving with Tara. He held her hand tightly as they walked out the door together and into the streets.
Tara tried to keep up with his long strides. She was grateful he was holding her hand; otherwise, she would have lost him in the crowd. His steps never slowed down. He seemed to know exactly where he was going.
She looked around. They were making their way to the wharf, a place Tara constantly hung out to watch the boats come in and the tourists pass by. She would sometimes buy food from the outside vendors, but never ate at the restaurants. They were very expensive. She was surprised when Kane led her straight into one of the restaurants.
She tried to stop him once they had stepped in. "Kane, we don't have to go here, it's really expensive and I don't think we're dressed for this type of..."
"Table for two?" A host asked walking towards them.
"Yes," Kane said. "We'd like to sit outside."
The host nodded and led the way. Kane dragged Tara behind him. She felt very self-conscious in the fancy restaurant. Kane was dressed worse than she was, but he walked through it as if he owned the place.
The tables outside were nice and very few people sat out there. Tara was relieved. Kane pulled back her chair catching her off guard. She smiled and sat down. He sat across from her.
"I hadn't expected you to bring me here. I would have been fine with a hot dog from the street vendors," she laughed softly.
Kane raised a red eyebrow. "Is that how men take you out?"
Tara shook her head quickly. "No, no, I'm just saying you didn't have to go out of your way for me. This place looks really expensive."
"Money is nothing to me," Kane said and took the menu the waiter handed them.
Tara blinked. "I wish I could say the same thing."
"I could take you to another restaurant if you don't like this one," Kane said looking at the menu.
"Are you kidding me? It's beautiful here. I love being by the ocean." Tara turned away to look at the boats. Perhaps I should just shut up and enjoy the moment, she thought to herself.
Kane sat down the menu after deciding what he wanted and watched Tara hoping he hadn't gone too far with his teasing. He had a feeling she would like this place, she seemed to like being by the water on her lunch breaks.
She wore her hair down today. The wind blew through it freely causing a few dark strands to cover her face. He wanted to reach over and brush them behind her ear. When she turned to him, his heart skipped several beats.
Those beautiful brown eyes stared into his with curiosity as he watched her. Her golden skin seemed to glow in the sunlight and her smile warmed him. He wanted to reach across the table and touch her cheek, wondering if her skin was as smooth and silky as it looked. His eyes slowly made their way down to her full lips and lingered. He wanted to feel them against his own.
From the way she carried herself, she had no clue how breathtakingly beautiful she was. He noticed a few men with their dates watching her, but cautiously because of the women they were with. He was proud to have such a beautiful life mate.
Tara blushed when she realized Kane was not going to stop watching her so intensely even when she stared back at him. She jumped when the waiter appeared to take their orders. She had completely forgotten to look at the menu. She glanced through the menu quickly and picked out the grilled salmon. Kane ordered a tri-tip steak, rare.
She turned back to him when the waiter left, he was still watching her. She cleared her throat and fiddled nervously with the straw in her drink. "So, Kane do you live in the city?"
"No," he said.
Tara waited for him to continue, when he didn't, she decided to ask another question.
"Where do you live?"
"Tamapalis Valley."
"Wow, you live right beside the mountains and woods and very close to me. Why didn't you tell me that since you know I live in Sausalito, not far from you."
Kane shrugged.
"I love living by the ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge," Tara continued. "It's very convenient. I'm still close to the city, but I can enjoy the suburban life too." Tara waited for him to speak again, still nothing. "You're not very big on conversation, are you?"
Kane smiled. "I like listening to your accent. What part of the south are you from?"
"Mississippi," she answered feeling self-conscious about her accent now.
"Why are so far away from home, Tara?" Kane wanted to know.
"That's what I'd like to know," Tara said with a short laugh. She began to sip her water.
Kane watched her. "You didn't choose to be here?"
"No not really," Tara replied, "but for some reason, I was drawn here."
"How?"
"It's a long story," Tara said. "A long depressing story, believe me you don't want to hear it."
"I want to know everything about you, Tara. Please tell me..." Kane stared into her eyes.
Tara stared back. He seemed genuinely interested in getting to know her, at least he was talking now.
"Okay, don't say I didn't warn you. I was doing okay for myself for a while in Mississippi. Then suddenly out of nowhere, everything started to go wrong. I was laid off from my job as a cashier, I couldn't pay rent on my apartment and was evicted. I didn't have a place to go. A guy friend I knew offered me money to come here to stay with him."
Kane 's hand suddenly balled into fists. "A male friend?"
"Well, his name was Ross, and he became more than a male friend. I thought he was my hero you know, my knight in shining armor. I thought everything that had happened was because of fate and that I was meant to come here to be with him. I only stayed with him three months before I found him in bed with another woman. It was your typical situation with cheaters; girlfriend comes home early from work to find her man in bed with another woman, except she happened to be his landlady. I wasn't supposed to be living with him because my name wasn't on the lease and he ended our relationship for fear she'd give him hell for the rest of the year."
"Have you seen him again?" Kane asked between gnash teeth. His hands were now under the table so she couldn't see the claws that were slowly shredding the bottom.
"That slime? No way, that happened last year." Tara shook her head. She stopped talking and looked around. "Do you hear something? It sounds like scratching."
"He was not the one in your destiny, Tara. You were with the wrong person," Kane almost growled. He was struggling to control his rage and jealousy that she had been with another male.
"No kidding," Tara said and sighed.
"Where is your family? They should have been there for you during your hardships."
"That's another thing that happened. I found out I was adopted a week after my mother died in a car accident. She left me some money in her will that my aunts and uncles tried to take from me behind my back, but they couldn't do it. They got angry with me when I found out and would only give me a place to stay if I gave them my money. They've always been very greedy and selfish people, but I never thought they'd go this far. When I told them I was going to California, they laughed at me and said I wouldn't survive a month here. I took the greyhound bus, it took me three days, but I made it. I've been here for two years now, and after Ross, I've been completely on my own."
Kane's heart ached at hearing everything she went through. The thought of his life mate experiencing such a harsh life made him furious that he wasn't there for her and yet, it seemed as if all these events led her straight to him. His life mate was brave, a survivor. "I admire you, so much happened to you in a short period of time. I don't like that you suffered and was alone."
"I've learned that being alone is the only way to live in peace. When you trust people, you get hurt."
"You are innocent and good Tara, evil people will always take advantage of that. You need someone to protect you."
"Protect me?" Tara laughed. "And just who will protect me from the big bad world?" she joked.
A slow almost malicious grin spread across Kane's lips. "A...big... bad... wolf."
Tara froze when sudden fear washed over her connecting her mind to his. Flashes of memories began to appear in her head, of Andrew, screaming in pain and horror, red eyes, claws, large fangs...Tara began to shake. Those were not her memories. She stared into Kane's eyes. They were his...they...were...Oh god...was he really...a wolf?! The nightmare she had the other night flashed through her head. She had known Kane wasn't human from the first time she met him, but she didn't know what he was until now.
Everything was beginning to make sense, the wild dangerous look about him, the fangs, and the way he moved as if he was stalking his prey or stalking her. The wolves in her dream had red fur, so red it looked like fire, and there were two of them. His brother, Kendrick, was he a wolf too? He had to be; they were twins for christ sake! She remembered the strange connection she had shared with Kane when they shook hands that day. What was that about? She didn't really want to find out. All she wanted to do was get away from him.
Kane saw the change in her. Her body froze. Her brown eyes stared deep into his as if seeing him for the first time and finally knowing what he was. She knew. He had only been joking with her. It had been a private joke for himself, apparently, she had understood. She was smart, too smart. The chair she had been sitting in crashed to the floor. Kane growled softly as he watched her retreating figure.
She was fast.
He was faster.
Tara ran through the crowded restaurant as easily as she had maneuvered her bike through the crowded streets of the city. Using her keen senses had always helped her to escape impending trouble. She had a way of silently gliding through crowds, almost like a ghost. People barely noticed her as she made her way out of the restaurant and into the streets. She had to stop for traffic.
There was no way Kane could catch up to her. He was probably still sitting there in shock at her quick departure. She hadn't given him any warning. She had simply run away. Still, she looked behind her just to make sure he wasn't following her and crashed into a hard chest. Thinking it was a tourist, she looked up to apologize. Her heart dropped when she saw it was Kane. Panicking, she turned around forgetting about the oncoming traffic and ran right in front of a trolley train.
The train's horn blasted in Tara's ears. She watched the driver's horror-stricken face as he tried in vain to step on the brakes. Tara closed her eyes waiting for her death. Instead, she found herself standing on the sidewalk pressed tightly against a hard chest and wrapped even tighter in a pair of strong arms.
For a moment she stood there in shock, everything had happened so fast, it was almost as if it hadn't happened at all. She knew who was holding her. She knew it was him. His breathing was heavy causing his chest to rise and fall against her back. She could feel his heart beating strong and fast. The wind blew his long auburn hair into her face hiding her shocked expression from the world. She had frightened him; she could feel it.
Kane felt as if his spirit had been yanked halfway out of his body when he saw what was about to happen to Tara. If he hadn't made it to her in time, if he had been one second late, she would have died. She would have left him, and his spirit would have gone with her.
She was indeed his life mate.
He held her to him tightly, not wanting to move, not wanting to let her go and buried his face deep into her hair. He breathed in her scent deeply, taking it into his body and letting it surround him until he knew nothing but her. Her body was soft and warm against his. She overwhelmed his senses.
Tara felt him pull her hair away from her neck. The heat from his breath warmed her. His lips gently brushed over her sensitive skin causing her to shiver.
"Why are you running from me, Tara?" he asked in a low deep voice.
She jumped. He held her tighter. She felt like a helpless rabbit trapped in the paws of a wolf that was about to bite her head off. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she decided to tell him the truth. "When I told you, I found out I was adopted and what my family were trying to do with the money my mother had left me, it was after she had died. She came to me in a dream and showed me everything. Last night, I had a dream about two wolves with fiery red fur and I was walking with them. I sensed you weren't human when I first met you and now, I know what you are, Kane."
"If you were walking with us in the dream, then why are you afraid?"
"Because you're not supposed to be real!" Tara yelled. Her body couldn't stop trembling. He had just admitted he was indeed one of the wolves she had dreamt of.
Kane stiffened. He knew she would have problems accepting him. She was human after all. He focused on the trembling girl in his arms. "Tara, do not be afraid of me."
"What do you want from me?"
"Did you really think you were brought here to be with another man? He was not the one you were supposed to be with. You belong to me. You're mine, Tara, my life mate; you felt the connection when we met. I don't want to pretend with you any longer. The sooner we become one, the easier it will be for you to accept me."
"Become one?" Tara asked in a shaky voice.
"Mate with me."
Oh god! Tara thought, her mind racing. Was he crazy, or was she? A man who was actually a wolf thought that she was his life mate (whatever the hell that was) and wanted to mate with her. This was exactly like a horror movie. It was too much. She needed to get away from him. She was terrified.
"Please leave me alone," she whispered. "I don't want this. I can't be with you. I'm human, remember?"
He continued to hold her. She could hear a low rumble start from his chest and grow into a soft growl. "Leave you alone?" he acted as if she had just said the most vulgar, offending word he'd ever heard of. "It doesn't matter that you are human. You are mine, Tara. I will never leave you alone."
Tara began to scream out of pure terror. Kane realized if he didn't let her go, she would collapse and go into shock. Her human mind had been stretched beyond its limit and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't stay to comfort her since he was the reason why she was so terrified. "Tara," he softly whispered, his heart hurting because he was the cause of her distress.
He let her go.
Tara felt him release her. A strong gust of wind blew against her body. She looked around. He was nowhere to be found. In his absence was his pain, it was the same grief and loneliness she felt when she first met him, except this time it had intensified because of her rejection. She wrapped her arms around herself, noticing the crowd of people watching her, and decided to go home.